ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY | College of Engineering and Technology

Pre-Calculus II| 1st Semester | 2020-2021

MODULE 1
PLANE FIGURES
1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After careful study of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:
 identify common plane figures and solids
 find the area of common plane figures
 understand the properties of similar figures solve miscellaneous problems involving daily applications of mensuration.

2. INTRODUCTION
Solid Mensuration deals primarily with the various solids. The formulas developed in this text are used extensively
in railway engineering, in road and bridge construction^ in chemical and physical analyses, and in a large variety of
commercial and engineering projects. As we study Solid Mensuration we shall see how necessary it is to have a thorough
knowledge of the mensuration of solids.

Founder of Mensuration:

Archimedes is remembered as the greatest mathematician of ancient area. He is one

of the most famous Greek mathematicians contributed significantly in geometry regarding the
area of plane figures and areas as well as volumes of curved surfaces.

For example, in his development of integration and calculus, he tried to find a value for
π by using circumscribed and inscribed polygons, eventually using 96 sided polygons inside
and outside a circle to generate a value for Pi of between 31⁄7 (approximately 3.1429) and
310⁄71 (approximately 3.1408). This range of values is extremely accurate, as the actual value
is 3.1416. This is just one example of his inventions.

COMPUTATION SUGGESTIONS

Geometry is one of the oldest branches of mathematics. Applications of geometric constructions were made centuries
before the mathematical principles on which the constructions were based were recorded. Geometry is a mathematical
study of points, lines, planes, closed flat shapes, and solids. Using any one of these alone, or in combination with others, it
is possible to describe, design, and construct every visible object.
The purpose of this section is to provide a foundation of geometric principles and constructions on which many
practical problems depend for solution.
Terms: There are a number of terms used in geometry.
 A plane is a flat surface.
 Space is the set of all points.
 Surface is the boundary of a solid.
 Solid is a three-dimensional geometric figure.
 Plane geometry is the geometry of planar figures (two dimensions). Examples are: angles, circles, triangles, and
parallelograms.
 Solid geometry is the geometry of three-dimensional figures. Examples are: cubes, cylinders, and spheres known
as the vertex. The rays are known as sides of the angle.
When solving a problem in Solid Mensuration, draw an appropriate figure on which all dimensions are shown. Write
down all formulas by means of which the unknown quantities are to be found. Be sure that your work is arranged so that it
can be followed at any time by yourself or another person. A study of the examples solved in the text will aid the student in
making adequate arrangements for himself. In many problems it is helpful to employ literal quantities to denote numerical
values in carrying on the work. However, in completing a problem it is necessary finally to replace these literal quantities by
the numbers they represent.
Logarithms. A four-place table of logarithms is given on p. 156. This table is unique in that it includes special tables
of proportional parts together with tabular differences. The simplicity of operation resulting from these features permits both
greater speed and greater accuracy.
Slide Rule. The use of a slide rule in connection with a course in Solid Mensuration, besides showing
the power and limitations of the instrument, enlivens the course considerably. It interests the student to find,

Prepared by: | Engr. Christian M. Mortel

ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY | College of Engineering and Technology
Pre-Calculus II| 1st Semester | 2020-2021
after spending considerable time in the computation of a problem, that he can use his slide rule to obtain a result usually
accurate to three figures in a fraction of the time.
There are many types of slide rules available. The “ L L Trig Duplex* Slide Rule and the “ Polyphase Trig Duplex*
Slide Rule ’’ are two of the best and are especially suited for use when performing computations in connection with the
solution of engineering problems. A manual of explanation accompanies each of these slide rules. This manual has been
written for study without the aid of a teacher. The subject matter is so presented that the beginner uses two general
principles while he is learning to read the scales and perform the simpler operations- The mastery of these two principles
gives the power to devise the best settings for any particular purpose, and to recall settings that have been forgotten.

3. MENSURATION OF PLANE FIGURES

A large part of the work of this textbook has to do with the computation of surface areas and the volumes of solids.
In this connection it is frequently necessary to pass a plane through a solid to form a plane section, find the area of this
section, and multiply it by the length of a line. Thus it is important for the student to be thoroughly familiar with the
mensuration of the standard plane figures. For this reason, he should carefully review the following list of formulas relating
to plane figures.

Some other right triangles, the

measures of whose sides are all whole numbers which satisfy the Pythagorean theorem, are: 5-12-13; 7-24-25; 8-15-17; 20-
21-29; 16-63-65; 13-84-85; 119-120-169.

Prepared by: | Engr. Christian M. Mortel

ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY | College of Engineering and Technology
Pre-Calculus II| 1st Semester | 2020-2021

Area by approximation
The area of any irregular plane figure (such as shown) can be found approximately by dividing it into an even
number of strips or panels by a series of equidistant parallel chords y 1, y2, y3, …… yn, the common distance between the
chords being h. The required area is then given by the following formula
1
A= ( y 0 +4 y 1+2 y 2 +. … … …+2 y n−2+ 4 y n−1 + y n ) .
3

The larger the value of n, in general the greater is the accuracy of

approximation.

Similar figures
Similar polygons are polygons that have their homologous angles equal and their homologous sides proportional. In
general, corresponding lines of similar figures are in the same ratio. Similar polygons have the same ratio as the squares of
any two corresponding lines.

4. EXAMPLES

Example 1. The section (see figure) of a certain solid is bounded by two concentric circles whose radii are 6.1 ft. and 4.1 ft.
Find the area of this section.
Solution: Let Ai and As denote the areas of the larger and smaller (such as the one shown) circles, respectively. Using the
formula for the area of a circle, we have

Ai=π ¿
and
A s=π ¿

Since the difference between these two areas is the area of the section, we write
A s=π ¿
A s=π ¿
A s=64.089 sq . ft

Example 2. The section of a certain solid consists of a semicircle, a rectangle, and a triangle, as shown. The altitude of the
rectangle is three times the radius of the semicircle, the altitude of the triangle is twice the same radius, and the area of the
triangle is 20 sq. ft. Find the area of the section.
Solution: Let Ar, and Ac denote the areas of the triangle, rectangle, and semicircle, respectively. Using formulas listed in.this
article under the appropriate headings, we find in terms of r
1
At = ( 2 r )( 2 r )=2 r 2 ,
2
Ar = 2 r )( 3 r ) =6 r 2 ,
(
Ac =2r
Since the area of the section A is the sum of these areas, we have
2
2 2 r
A=A t + A r + A c =2 r +6 r + ( 16+ π ) .(a)
2
Prepared by: | Engr. Christian M. Mortel
ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY | College of Engineering and Technology
Pre-Calculus II| 1st Semester | 2020-2021
Equating the area of the triangle in terms of r to its given area, we get
1
20= (2 r ) ( 2 r )
2
Solving this equation for r2, we obtain

r 2=10.
Substituting this value of r2 in equation (a), we get
10
A= ( 16+ π )=95.708 sq . ft ANS
2

Example 3. A city block is in the form of a parallelogram whose shorter diagonal AR is perpendicular to side BC, as shown
in the figure. The shorter sides represent streets and the longer sides represent avenues. If the distance between the
avenues is 400 ft. and the length of each street is 500 ft., find the area of the block.

Solution: From B drop the perpendicular BD to line AC. Since BD by construction is the distance between the avenues,
BD=400.
Applying the Pythagorean theorem to right triangle BDC, we obtain

DC= √ (500)2−(400)2 =300.

Since the sides of angle DBC are respectively perpendicular to the sides of angle BAC, and angle DBC = angle BAC.
Hence, right triangles DBC and BAC are similar. Consequently, we write
AB 400
=
500 300
Solving for AB, we get
2000
AB=
3
Considering BC as base and AB as altitude of the parallelogram, we have for its area

( BC ) ( AB )=500 ( 2000
3 ) sq . ft .=(
500 2000
9 )( 3 )
sq . yard=37,037 sq . yard ANS

Assignment number 1: Solve the following problems below. Submit your work through picture. Comment to assignment 1 and Attach
the picture in Assignment number 1.
1. A window glass is 4ft. 2 in. by 2 ft. 10 in. Find its area.
2. Find the area of the largest circle which can be cut from a square of edge 4 in. What is the area of the material
wasted?
3. A garden plot is to contain 200 sq. ft. It its length is to be twice its width, what should its dimensions be?
4. A certain city block is in the form of a parallelogram. Two of its sides are each 421 ft. long; the other two sides are
each 227 ft. in length. If the distance between the first pair of sides is 126 ft., find the area of the land in the block,
and the length of the diagonals.
5. Each of the four circles shown in the figure is tangent to other three. A) if the radius of
each of the smaller circles is a, find the area of the largest circle. B0 if a = 2.71, what is
the area of the largest circle?

Prepared by: | Engr. Christian M. Mortel

ROMBLON STATE UNIVERSITY | College of Engineering and Technology
Pre-Calculus II| 1st Semester | 2020-2021

REFERENCES
 Dolciani, Mary P., et al., Algebra Structure and Method Book 1, Atlanta: Houghton-Mifflin, 1979.
 Naval Education and Training Command, Mathematics, Vol:1, NAVEDTRA 10069-D1, Washington, D.C.:
Naval Education and Training Program Development Center, 1985.
 Olivio, C. Thomas and Olivio, Thomas P., Basic Mathematics Simplified, Albany, NY: Delmar, 1977.
 Science and Fundamental Engineering, Windsor, CT: Combustion Engineering, Inc., 1985.
 Academic Program For Nuclear Power Plant Personnel, Volume 1, Columbia, MD: General Physics
Corporation, Library of Congress Card #A 326517, 1982.

Prepared by: | Engr. Christian M. Mortel