Question 1 of 65Plane surveying · Recall
A traverse course runs on an azimuth of 128°30′00″ (clockwise from north) for a horizontal distance of 486.20 ft. What are the latitude and the departure of the course?
Practice · 65 questions
Plane surveying
The computational heart of the exam: traverse computation and adjustment, area, curves both horizontal and vertical, earthwork, and construction staking.
What this subject area expects
- Compute latitudes, departures, closure and precision, and adjust by the compass rule
- Solve simple horizontal curves and parabolic vertical curves and stake them
- Compute areas by coordinates, by DMD, and with curved boundaries
- Calculate earthwork volumes by average end area and by the prismoidal formula
Topics covered here
Latitudes and departures · Angular closure · Azimuths and bearings · Misclosure and precision · Compass rule adjustment · Transit rule adjustment · Area by coordinates · Area by DMD · Curved boundary areas · Parcel partitioning · Horizontal curve elements · Degree of curve · Curve stationing and layout · Vertical curves · Earthwork volumes · Slope staking · Inverse and forward COGO · Intersections
Other subject areas
All 7- MathematicsThe algebra, geometry and trigonometry that every other domain assumes — right triangles, the law of sines and cosines, coordinate geometry, areas and volumes.
- 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.
- 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.