What is a pantograph?

What is a pantograph?

• A. A device for measuring angles.
• B. An instrument for copying a drawing or plan at a different scale using hinged and joined rods.
• C. A circular tracing tool.
• D. A type of brush.

Answer: (B)

A pantograph is a drawing instrument that copies a drawing or plan at a different scale by using a set of linked, hinged rods. As you move the tracing point over the original, the linked arms transmit the motion to a second point, which traces a scaled version on the paper. The scale can be enlarged or reduced by adjusting the linkage, so proportions are preserved. This is distinct from tools that just measure angles or draw circles, or from brushes, because its purpose is to reproduce and scale a whole drawing through the interconnected rods.

A pantograph is a drawing instrument that copies a drawing or plan at a different scale by using a set of linked, hinged rods. As you move the tracing point over the original, the linked arms transmit the motion to a second point, which traces a scaled version on the paper. The scale can be enlarged or reduced by adjusting the linkage, so proportions are preserved. This is distinct from tools that just measure angles or draw circles, or from brushes, because its purpose is to reproduce and scale a whole drawing through the interconnected rods.