Mensuration

Mensuration is the branch of mathematics which deals with the study of Geometric shapes, their area, Volume and different parameters in geometric objects. In the broadest sense, it is all about the process of measurement. It is based on the use of algebraic equations and geometric calculations to provide measurement data regarding the width, depth and volume of a given object or group of objects. While the measurement results obtained by the use of mensuration are estimates rather than actual physical measurements, the calculations are usually considered very accurate. There are two types of geometric shapes 1) 2D and 2) 3D 2D shapes are 1) Square 2) Rectangle 3) Parallelogram 4) Rhombus 5) Triangle 6) Trapezoid 7) Circle 3D shapes : They have surface area and volume.1) Cube 2) Cuboid 3) Cylinder 4) Cone 5) Sphere and Hemisphere 6) Prism 7) Pyramid.

Examples of Applications
The following are some examples of cases in which the above methods may be applied to the calculation of areas and integrals.

(i)

Construction of Mathematical Tables

Even where u is an explicit function of x, so that f x udx may be expressed in terms of x, it is often more convenient, for construction of a table of values of such an integral, to use finite-difference formulae. The formulae may be used for extending the accuracy of tables, in cases where, if v represents the quantity tabulated. The process practically consists in using the table as it stands for improving the first or second differences of v and then building up the table afresh.

(ii) Life Insurance

The use of quadrature-formulae is important in actuarial work, where the fundamental tables are based on experience, and the formulae applying these tables involve the use of the tabulated values and their differences.

(iii) Timber Measure

To find the quantity of timber in a trunk with parallel ends, the areas of a few sections must be calculated as accurately as possible, and a formula applied. As the measurements can only be rough, the trapezoidal rule is the most appropriate in ordinary cases.

(iiv) Gauging
To measure the volume of a cask, it may be assumed that the interior is approximately a portion of a spheroidal figure. The formula applied can then be either Simpson's rule or a rule based on Gauss's theorem for two ordinates. In the latter case the two sections are taken at distances from the middle section, where H is the total internal length; and their arithmetic mean is taken to be the mean section of the cask. Allowance must of course be made for the thickness of the wood. 91.