An X-shaped divider formed by joining a pair of two-pointed arms used for enlargement and reduction is called what?

• A. Pantograph
• B. Proportional divider
• C. Spline
• D. Light Table

Answer: (B)

This item tests your understanding of proportional dividers, a drafting tool used for proportional scaling. An X-shaped divider is formed by two arms joined at the center, with tips at the ends. By adjusting the angle between the arms to set a fixed ratio, you can transfer a distance from one part of a drawing to another part in the same proportion. This lets you enlarge or reduce a drawing quickly and accurately without recalculating scale every time.

In practice, you measure a distance on the original drawing, then use the proportional divider to project that distance onto the target sheet at the desired scale, thanks to the fixed ratio between the arms. This distinguishes it from other instruments: a pantograph is a more complex tracing and copying device, a spline is used for free-form curves, and a light table is simply a backlit surface for visibility.