BUILDING & MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DRAWING

MODULE 1 – UNIT 1
CENTROIDS
CENTROIDS

The centroid can be described as the centre of mass in a geometrical object, or the geometric centre or mean
proportion of all the elements of which the area consists in a plane figure. The following table shows how to
find the centroid and areas for some common geometrical shapes.

Centroids of common geometrical shapes

Area and Centroid by Graphical

Shape
method

Area = Side x Side

Square The centroid is found by the intersection
of the two diagonals.

Area = π r 2 or πD

The centroid is found by finding the

Circle
centre of the circle, for instance,
bisecting any two chords.

Area = Length x Width

Rectangle The centroid is found by the intersection
of the two diagonals.

Area = ½ base x height

The centroid is found by the intersection

Triangle of two or all medians in a triangle. A
median is a line drawn from a vertex to
the mid-point of the opposite side of the
triangle.

Trapezium Area = ½ (x + y) x height

The centroid is found when the parallel

sides of the trapezium are measured on
the opposite sides as an extension of the
parallel sides, then, the midpoint of the
parallel sides are connected. At the point
of intersection lies the centroid.
Irregular
Quadrilateral The centroid of the irregular
quadrilateral ABCD is found when each
side is divided into three equal parts,
then another quadrilateral is created
when a line is drawn through 1/3 of the
adjacent sides to form shape pqrs. Then
diagonals pr and qs are drawn to find the
centroid.
 Area and Centroid by Graphical
Shape
method
Quadrant

The centroid is found when the equation

4R/3π is calculated, followed by an
angle of 45°.

Semi-Circle

The centroid is found when the equation

4R/3π is calculated. This distance is
then measured along the line of
symmetry of the semi-circle.

Segment

Area of Segment:
½ x [(θ x π / 180) - Sin θ] x r²
θ is in degrees

OR

Area of Sector: θ/360 x πr2

Area of Triangle: ½ base x height
Area of Segment = Area of sector –
Area of triangle

The centroid is found when the equation

C3/12A is calculated. This distance is
then measured from the centre of the arc
along the line of symmetry into the
segment.

To determine the centroid of a plane shape the following steps must be done:
1. Drawing of the given geometrical shape;
2. Dividing the given geometrical shape into smaller geometrical shapes;
3. Find the centroid of the smaller geometrical shapes;
4. Find the areas of the smaller geometrical shapes;
 5. Connect the centroids of the smaller geometrical shapes and divide into a ratio of areas to find the
centroid.

Let us look at our first example:

Q. Determine the centroid of the L shaped figure.

Step 1: Draw the given figure.

Step 2: Divide the shape into smaller geometrical shapes (Two rectangles).

Step 3: Find the centroid of each geometrical shape.

Step 4: Find the areas of the smaller geometrical shapes.

Area of Shape A = 70mm x 30mm Area of Shape B = 50mm x 20mm

= 2100mm2 = 1000mm2
Step 5: Connect the centroids of both shapes and use a ratio of the areas to find the centroid.

1000
Ratio of Areas ¿
2100

10
¿
21
= 10:21

Therefore ratio = 10 : 21

Note that the smaller ratio is nearer the

larger area.

Determine the centroid of a geometrical figure with more than two smaller geometrical shapes.

Remember we are following the five (5) steps above to find the centroid of a shape.

Q. Determine the centroid of the given figure.

Step 1: Draw the given figure

Step 2: Divide the shape into smaller geometrical shapes (Three rectangles).

Step 3: Find the centroid of each geometrical shape.

Step 4: Find the areas of the smaller geometrical shapes.

Area of Shape A = 50mm x 30mm Area of Shape B = 100mm x 20mm Area of Shape C = 50mm x 40mm
= 1500mm2 = 2000mm2 = 2000mm2

Step 5: In this step, you first find the centroid of two shapes. Then, use the centroid of the combined shapes to
connect to the centroid of the third shape. Therefore, connect the centroids of both the combined shapes
and the third shape with a line, then, use a ratio of the areas to find the centroid.
 1500
Ratio of Areas A & B ¿ Area of A + B = 1500 +2000=3500mm2
2000
Area of C = 2000mm2
3 2000
¿ Ratio of Areas =
4 3500

4
Ratio of Area ¿
7

Note that the smaller ratio is

nearer the larger area.

Centroid of a geometrical figure with more than two smaller geometrical shapes.