Question 1 of 50Mathematics · Recall
A field book records a direction as 47°38′24″. Express the angle in decimal degrees.
Practice · 50 questions
Mathematics
The algebra, geometry and trigonometry that every other domain assumes — right triangles, the law of sines and cosines, coordinate geometry, areas and volumes.
What this subject area expects
- Solve oblique triangles with the law of sines and the law of cosines
- Work in and convert between degrees-minutes-seconds, decimal degrees, radians and grads
- Compute lengths, areas and volumes from coordinates
- Handle significant figures and rounding the way a computation sheet does
Topics covered here
DMS conversion · Angular units · Right triangles · Law of sines · Law of cosines · Coordinate geometry · Area by coordinates · Plane areas · Circular arcs · Volumes · Significant figures · Quadratic equations · Simultaneous equations · Spherical trigonometry · Foot definitions
Other subject areas
All 7- Basic sciencesPhysics and applied science a surveyor meets in the field: light and EDM, temperature and tension effects on a tape, statics, hydrology basics and units.
- Geomatics fundamentalsInstruments, field procedures and the data that comes off them: levels, total stations, differential levelling, traverse field work, notes and data reduction.
- Plane surveyingThe computational heart of the exam: traverse computation and adjustment, area, curves both horizontal and vertical, earthwork, and construction staking.
- Geodesy & GNSSDatums, coordinate systems and satellite positioning: the ellipsoid and the geoid, NAD 83 and NAVD 88 and their modernized successors, State Plane, and how GNSS observations are made and processed.
- Boundary conceptsGeneric, nationally applicable boundary principles — the PLSS as described in the BLM Manual of Surveying Instructions, the hierarchy of calls, retracement, riparian concepts and record research. No state-specific statutes.
- Measurement analysisError theory as an exam actually tests it: systematic versus random error, standard deviation, propagation through sums and products, weights, and closure tolerances.