The figure on the right shows the basic parallel scale nomogram for calculating a value f 3 (w) as the sum of two functions f 1 (u) and f 2 (v): f 1 (u) + f 2 (v) = f 3 (w) Each function plotted on a vertical scale using a corresponding scaling factor (sometimes called a scale modulus) m1, m2 or m3 that provides a conveniently sized nomogram. Nomographs (or nomograms, or alignment charts) are graphical representations of mathematical relationships (extending to empirical relationships of data) which are used by simply applying a straightedge across the plot through points on scales representing independent variables, which then crosses the Thus, to solve the quadratic equation x2+x-2=0 we need to draw the graph y=x2+x and find where it is cut by the line y=2. To solve the equation x2+2x-2=0, we must draw the graph y=x2+2x and similarly for other values of the coefficient of x. The object of Nomography is to enable us to solve all equations of a given type by means of one Page 3/10 A nomogram, alignment chart or abaque is a graph for calculation. It is a two-dimensional diagram which gives a computation of a mathematical function.. The field of nomography was invented in 1884 by the French engineer Philbert Maurice d'Ocagne (1862-1938). It was used for many years to provide engineers with fast graphical calculations of complicated formulas.