MCQs on Minor Instruments
Q1. Calculate the area of a field: initial reading = 9.918, final reading = 4.254, M = 100 cm², C = 23.521, N = −1. Find the area using the planimeter formula.
Difficulty: Hard
Correct Answer: C. 785.7 cm²Solution:A = M × [F − I ± 10N + C] = 100 × [4.254 − 9.918 − 10 + 23.521] = 100 × 7.857 = 785.7 cm². N = −1 means the zero mark crossed in reverse, so the correction is −10.
Q2. Planimeter with anchor inside: M = 100 cm², C = 20, initial reading = 3.436, final reading = 8.945, N = −1. Find the area of the figure.
Difficulty: Hard
Correct Answer: C. 1550.9 cm²Solution:A = 100 × [8.945 − 3.436 − 10 + 20] = 100 × 15.509 = 1550.9 cm². Anchor inside means C = 20 is included. N = −1 gives −10 correction.
Q3. Which of the following quantity is measured using a planimeter?
Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: A. AreaSolution:A planimeter is specifically designed to measure the area of any irregular closed plane figure by tracing its boundary. The tracer arm follows the perimeter while the rolling wheel records displacement proportional to the enclosed area.
Q4. In surveying, which of the following instrument is used for indirect measurement? (Note: officially canceled — see explanation)
Difficulty: Medium
⚠️ Question Canceled: All four options (passometer, pedometer, metric chain, speedometer) are direct measurement instruments. None qualifies as indirect. This question was officially declared faulty by the exam commission.True Indirect Methods:Tacheometer (stadia), EDM instruments, and subtense bar — these compute distance mathematically without physical ground contact over the full length.