What will be the smallest division of a diagonal scale if its one primary division is of 10 m and it is further divided in 10 secondary divisions and 10 diagonal divisions ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The smallest division of the diagonal scale is calculated as follows:

*   **Primary division:** 10 m
*   **Secondary divisions:** 10 (meaning each secondary division represents 10 m / 10 = 1 m)
*   **Diagonal divisions:** 10 (meaning each diagonal division represents 1 m / 10 = 0.1 m)

Since 0.1 m is equal to 10 cm, the smallest division of the diagonal scale is 10 cm. Therefore, Option 3 is correct.

Now, let's explain why the other options are incorrect:

*   **Option 1: 5 cm:** This is incorrect because the smallest division is 10 cm, not 5 cm. The diagonal scale divides each secondary division into 10 parts, each representing 10 cm.
*   **Option 2: 1 cm:** This is incorrect because the smallest division is 10 cm, not 1 cm. The diagonal scale allows for measurements smaller than the secondary division (1 m), but not as small as 1 cm in this specific configuration.
*   **Option 4: 100 cm:** This is incorrect because 100 cm is equal to 1 meter, which is the size of a secondary division, not the smallest division achieved through the diagonal scale. The diagonal scale further subdivides the secondary division.