Planimeter is an instrument used in surveying to compute the area of any given plan. Planimeter only needs plan drawn on the sheet to calculate area. Generally, it is very difficult to determine the area of irregular plot. So, by using planimeter we can easily calculate the area of any shape.

Why is a planimeter important?

Significance of Planimeter in Area computation

The planimeter gives more accurate (within one percent) results compared to the other methods except by direct calculation from the field notes. It is used for determining the areas of figures plotted to scale, especially when the boundaries are irregular.

How do you measure area using planimeter?

For measuring the area of plots with planimeter, two methods are generally adopted. Method 1: the area of the figure is measured in square cm and the field area is determined by multiplying the area of the figure by the square of the scale of the plot. Along with the planimeter, the manufactures supply a scale chart.