I85PREP
⌘ K
AZ Land Surveyor study materials
AZ Land Surveyor study resources

AZ Land Surveyor practice questions

One question at a time. Build your AZ Land Surveyor understanding.

First 50 of 200 questions. Each one lists the choices, the correct answer, and an explanation. The checker at the top of this page saves progress in this browser when it is available.

Continue in the practice tool above to load more questions, 50 at a time.

Question 1Boundary Surveying

Under the doctrine of adverse possession as generally applied to boundary disputes, which element is most essential to establish a claim?

  1. A written deed describing the disputed strip
  2. A recent survey recorded with the county
  3. Continuous, open, hostile possession for the statutory period Correct answer.
  4. Payment of property taxes by the record owner

Explanation

Adverse possession requires possession that is actual, open and notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous for the statutory period. A deed, tax payments, or a survey do not by themselves satisfy those elements. The claimant must show the possession was hostile to the record owner throughout the period.

Question 2Boundary Surveying

A boundary line that has been recognized and accepted by adjoining owners for many years, even though it differs from the deed line, may be established under which doctrine?

  1. Eminent domain
  2. Boundary by agreement and acquiescence Correct answer.
  3. Prescription
  4. Dedication

Explanation

When adjoining owners treat a particular line as the boundary and acquiesce in it for the statutory period, courts often fix that line as the true boundary. The doctrine rests on agreement or long acquiescence rather than on adverse possession alone. It requires mutual recognition of the line by both parties.

Question 3Boundary Surveying

In the public land survey system, what does a township normally contain?

  1. Sixteen sections of one-half square mile each
  2. Six sections of one square mile each
  3. Sixty-four sections of one-quarter square mile each
  4. Thirty-six sections of one square mile each Correct answer.

Explanation

A standard township is six miles square and contains 36 sections, each nominally one mile square (640 acres). The sections are numbered 1 through 36 in a boustrophedon pattern beginning at the northeast corner. This regular layout is the basis for describing land by aliquot parts.

Question 4Boundary Surveying

A metes and bounds description begins at a monument and proceeds by courses and distances. What does the term 'metes' refer to?

  1. The bearings and distances that define the lines Correct answer.
  2. The monuments set at each corner
  3. The written narrative of ownership history
  4. The area enclosed by the boundary

Explanation

Metes refers to the measurements of boundary lines, expressed as bearings and distances. Bounds refers to the physical monuments or natural features that mark the corners and lines. Together they describe a parcel by its perimeter.

Question 5Boundary Surveying

Which monument generally controls over a bearing and distance call in a boundary description?

  1. A distance written in the deed
  2. A natural monument such as a river or established tree Correct answer.
  3. A bearing written in the deed
  4. The computed area of the parcel

Explanation

Courts generally rank natural monuments above artificial monuments, which in turn control over courses and distances. The area is the weakest element of a description. When a deed call conflicts with an established natural monument, the monument usually prevails.

Question 6Boundary Surveying

What is the primary purpose of a corner record or perpetuation of a survey monument?

  1. To satisfy a zoning requirement for new construction
  2. To establish the assessed value of the parcel
  3. To preserve evidence of the corner location for future surveys Correct answer.
  4. To transfer title to the adjoining owner

Explanation

Corner records document the position and condition of survey monuments so later surveyors can recover them. They preserve the evidence of the original location even if the monument is later disturbed. This supports continuity of the boundary network.

Question 7Boundary Surveying

A surveyor finds that a deed line runs to the bank of a non-navigable stream. Under the common law doctrine of riparian boundaries for non-navigable streams, the boundary generally extends to which location?

  1. The thread of the stream Correct answer.
  2. The center of the adjoining parcel
  3. The ordinary high water mark
  4. The nearest public road

Explanation

For non-navigable streams, the common law generally extends ownership to the thread (center) of the stream, subject to the water rights of others. For navigable waters, the boundary is typically the ordinary high water mark. The distinction depends on navigability and state law.

Question 8Boundary Surveying

In the hierarchy of evidence used to reestablish a lost corner, which of the following generally carries the greatest weight?

  1. Testimony of a long-time resident about fence location
  2. A modern GPS coordinate
  3. The area computed from the deed
  4. Original government field notes and plats Correct answer.

Explanation

Original government field notes and plats are primary evidence of the original survey and are given great weight in reestablishing lost corners. They record what the original surveyor actually did. Later testimony or computations are secondary to the original record.

Question 9Boundary Surveying

A deed describes a parcel as the 'N 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Section 12.' How many acres does this parcel nominally contain?

  1. 160 acres
  2. 40 acres
  3. 320 acres
  4. 80 acres Correct answer.

Explanation

A quarter section is nominally 160 acres, and the north half of that quarter contains 80 acres. Aliquot parts are halved successively, so N 1/2 of NE 1/4 equals 80 acres. Actual acreage may vary slightly due to survey irregularities.

Question 10Boundary Surveying

A surveyor measures a boundary line as 1,320 feet. What is this distance in chains?

  1. 40 chains
  2. 66 chains
  3. 20 chains Correct answer.
  4. 10 chains

Explanation

One chain equals 66 feet, so 1,320 feet divided by 66 equals 20 chains. A mile is 80 chains, and a quarter mile is 20 chains. Chain units remain common in older deeds and plats.

Question 11Boundary Surveying

A deed calls for a line running 'north 45 degrees east, 100 feet.' Which compass quadrant does this bearing fall in?

  1. Southeast
  2. Southwest
  3. Northwest
  4. Northeast Correct answer.

Explanation

A bearing of north 45 degrees east starts at north and turns 45 degrees toward the east, placing it in the northeast quadrant. Bearings are measured from north or south toward east or west. The quadrant is determined by the two letters in the bearing.

Question 12Boundary Surveying

A surveyor computes the area of a closed traverse using the coordinate method. Which condition must the traverse satisfy before the area computation is valid?

  1. The distances must all be measured in chains
  2. The traverse must return to its starting point with balanced latitudes and departures Correct answer.
  3. The bearings must all be in the northeast quadrant
  4. The angular closure must be zero before any adjustment

Explanation

The coordinate method requires a closed figure, so the latitudes and departures must sum to zero after adjustment. The area is then computed from the balanced coordinates. An unclosed traverse would give a meaningless area.

Question 13Boundary Surveying

Two adjoining owners dispute a line. The deed distance from a known corner to a called monument is 200.0 feet, but the surveyor finds the monument at 198.5 feet. What is the most defensible action consistent with the hierarchy of calls?

  1. Reject the monument and set a new corner at 200.0 feet
  2. Average the two positions at 199.25 feet
  3. Accept the monument as the best evidence and note the discrepancy Correct answer.
  4. Ignore both and rely on the acreage call

Explanation

A called monument generally controls over a stated distance, so the found monument is the stronger evidence of the corner. The surveyor should accept it and document the discrepancy. Averaging or substituting a computed distance would disregard the hierarchy of evidence.

Question 14Boundary Surveying

A parcel is bounded on the south by a non-navigable river that gradually shifts its channel over decades. Under the doctrine of accretion, the boundary generally does which of the following?

  1. Extends to the nearest recorded parcel
  2. Remains fixed at the original surveyed line
  3. Becomes void and requires a new deed
  4. Moves with the gradual shift of the water Correct answer.

Explanation

Accretion is the gradual and imperceptible addition of land by natural action of water, and the boundary generally moves with the shifting water line. This differs from avulsion, where a sudden change does not move the boundary. The doctrine protects the riparian owner's access.

Question 15Boundary Surveying

In preparing a boundary survey, a surveyor finds a discrepancy between the record deed and the physical evidence on the ground. Which principle best guides the resolution?

  1. Physical evidence of original monuments generally prevails over later record calls Correct answer.
  2. The largest area always controls
  3. The most recent survey always controls
  4. The record deed always controls over physical evidence

Explanation

Original monuments and physical evidence of the original survey generally prevail over later record calls that conflict with them. This principle preserves the integrity of the original boundary establishment. Record calls are used to interpret, not to override, reliable physical evidence.

Question 16Boundary Surveying

A surveyor must retrace a line described as running to a 'white oak' that no longer exists. Which source is most useful for reestablishing the corner?

  1. The original survey field notes describing the tree and nearby witnesses Correct answer.
  2. The current owner's recollection of a fence
  3. A modern aerial photograph
  4. The tax assessor's parcel map

Explanation

Original field notes describing the tree and witness objects are primary evidence for reestablishing a lost corner. They record the original surveyor's observations at the time of the survey. Modern recollections and maps are secondary and less reliable.

Question 17Boundary Surveying

A deed conveys a parcel 'beginning at a stone at the northeast corner of the grantor's land, thence south 10 chains, thence west 10 chains, thence north 10 chains, thence east 10 chains to the point of beginning.' What is the nominal area?

  1. 10 acres Correct answer.
  2. 100 acres
  3. 1 acre
  4. 640 acres

Explanation

The parcel is a square 10 chains on each side. One chain is 66 feet, so 10 chains is 660 feet, and the square contains 435,600 square feet, which equals 10 acres. A square chain is 0.1 acre, so 100 square chains equals 10 acres.

Question 18Boundary Surveying

Under the doctrine of prescription, an adjoining owner may acquire a right to use a portion of a neighbor's land for access if the use is:

  1. Granted orally by the neighbor
  2. Recorded in the county deed records
  3. Approved by the local planning commission
  4. Open, adverse, and continuous for the statutory period Correct answer.

Explanation

Prescription resembles adverse possession but establishes an easement rather than title. The use must be open, adverse, and continuous for the statutory period. It does not depend on a written grant or government approval.

Question 19Boundary Surveying

A surveyor is asked to locate a boundary along a meander line of a navigable river. What does the meander line generally represent?

  1. The true legal boundary of the parcel
  2. A line run to determine the approximate area of the water body, not the boundary Correct answer.
  3. The high water mark of the opposite bank
  4. The centerline of the river

Explanation

Meander lines are run to compute the area of the water body and are not generally the legal boundary. The boundary of land bordering navigable water is typically the ordinary high water mark. Treating the meander line as the boundary is a common error.

Question 20Boundary Surveying

A surveyor finds that a section corner monument has been disturbed and its original position cannot be recovered directly. Which method is generally used to reestablish the corner?

  1. Adopting the nearest fence intersection
  2. Single-proportionate measurement between the nearest accepted corners Correct answer.
  3. Setting the corner at the deed distance from the nearest corner
  4. Using the center of the section as the corner

Explanation

When a corner is lost and cannot be recovered, proportionate measurement between the nearest accepted corners is generally used to reestablish it. This distributes the record distance according to the measured distance between the found corners. It preserves the original survey's proportions.

Question 21Boundary Surveying

A deed calls for a boundary to run 'to the center of the highway.' The highway was established after the deed was written. How is the boundary generally interpreted?

  1. The boundary is void because the highway did not exist
  2. The boundary shifts to the far side of the highway
  3. The boundary stops at the edge of the right-of-way
  4. The boundary extends to the centerline, subject to the public easement Correct answer.

Explanation

When a deed calls to the center of a highway, the grantee generally takes to the centerline subject to the public right-of-way easement. The public holds an easement for travel, but the underlying fee may pass to the grantee. This is the common law presumption for abutting owners.

Question 22Boundary Surveying

A surveyor computes a traverse and finds a linear misclosure of 0.35 feet over a perimeter of 5,000 feet. What is the relative precision?

  1. 1:5,000
  2. 1:1,000
  3. 1:14,286 Correct answer.
  4. 1:50,000

Explanation

Relative precision is the perimeter divided by the misclosure: 5,000 divided by 0.35 equals about 14,286, so the precision is about 1:14,286. This expresses the quality of the traverse closure. A smaller misclosure yields a larger denominator and better precision.

Question 23Boundary Surveying

Two deeds overlap along a strip of land. Deed A was recorded first but Deed B was delivered first. Under the race-notice recording statute, which party generally prevails?

  1. The party who recorded first without notice of the prior conveyance Correct answer.
  2. The party who paid the higher price
  3. The party who received delivery first regardless of recording
  4. The party whose deed contains the more precise description

Explanation

Under a race-notice statute, a subsequent purchaser prevails if they purchase without notice of the prior conveyance and record first. Delivery order alone does not control under this statute. Price and description precision are not the statutory test.

Question 24Boundary Surveying

A surveyor is retracing a metes and bounds description that calls for a line 'to a point on the north bank of Doe Creek.' The creek has since changed course by avulsion. How should the boundary generally be treated?

  1. The boundary remains at the old channel location Correct answer.
  2. The boundary is extended to the center of the new channel
  3. The boundary follows the new course of the creek
  4. The boundary is void and must be reestablished by agreement

Explanation

Avulsion is a sudden change in a watercourse, and the boundary generally remains at the old channel location. This differs from accretion, where gradual changes move the boundary. The sudden shift does not transfer land between owners.

Question 25Boundary Surveying

A surveyor must determine the true boundary of a parcel described by aliquot parts in a township where the section is irregular due to convergence of meridians. Which approach best reflects correct PLSS practice?

  1. Set the corner at the computed center of the township
  2. Treat every section as exactly one mile square
  3. Apply the record distances from the nearest standard corner and adjust for the irregular section Correct answer.
  4. Use the average of all section corner coordinates

Explanation

In irregular sections, the surveyor uses record distances from the nearest standard corner and adjusts for the actual measured distances. Sections are not always exactly one mile square because of convergence and survey error. Proportionate methods preserve the original survey's intent.

Question 26Boundary Surveying

In the U.S. Public Land Survey System, how wide is a standard township, measured in miles?

  1. 24 miles
  2. 36 miles
  3. 1 mile
  4. 6 miles Correct answer.

Explanation

A standard township is a square tract six miles on each side, containing 36 sections of one square mile each. The six-mile width is the defining dimension of the township unit.

Question 27Boundary Surveying

A bearing reads 'S 30 degrees W.' Toward which quadrant does this line run?

  1. Northwest
  2. Southwest Correct answer.
  3. Northeast
  4. Southeast

Explanation

A bearing stated as S 30 degrees W starts at south and rotates 30 degrees toward the west, placing the line in the southwest quadrant. The first letter gives the meridian and the second gives the direction of rotation.

Question 28Boundary Surveying

How many square feet are contained in one acre?

  1. 640
  2. 43,560 Correct answer.
  3. 10
  4. 5,280

Explanation

An acre equals 43,560 square feet, a figure derived from the traditional chain-by-furlong rectangle of 66 by 660 feet. Surveyors use it to convert computed parcel areas into acreage.

Question 29Boundary Surveying

What is the name of the written instrument by which a government agency acquires an easement from a private owner?

  1. Field note
  2. Plat
  3. Corner record
  4. Easement deed Correct answer.

Explanation

An easement deed is the conveyance document that transfers an easement interest from the owner to the agency. It identifies the burdened parcel, the rights granted, and the consideration.

Question 30Boundary Surveying

Which term describes the process of locating a boundary line on the ground from the written record and marking it with monuments?

  1. Subdivision
  2. Assessment
  3. Retracement Correct answer.
  4. Adjudication

Explanation

Retracement is the surveyor's work of following an existing record boundary to locate and monument it on the ground. It relies on the original evidence and the record description together.

Question 31Boundary Surveying

Under the hierarchy of calls in a metes and bounds description, which call generally controls over distance?

  1. Monument Correct answer.
  2. Area
  3. Adjoiner
  4. Course

Explanation

Natural or artificial monuments called for in a deed are considered more reliable than the stated distance because the monument is a physical object the parties could see. Distance yields to the monument unless the monument is shown to be in error.

Question 32Boundary Surveying

On a parcel described as the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of a section, what is the nominal area in acres?

  1. 20
  2. 160
  3. 80
  4. 40 Correct answer.

Explanation

Each halving of a quarter section halves the area. A quarter section is 160 acres, its quarter-quarter is 40 acres, and the description names one quarter-quarter.

Question 33Boundary Surveying

What does a surveyor call the record of a boundary survey filed with the county to give public notice of the monuments set?

  1. Easement
  2. Corner record
  3. Deed
  4. Certificate of survey Correct answer.

Explanation

A certificate of survey, sometimes called a record of survey, is the filed map or document that depicts the survey and the monuments set. Filing gives constructive notice of the boundary location to later parties.

Question 34Boundary Surveying

A deed conveys the east half of a quarter section. What is the nominal acreage of the conveyed parcel?

  1. 40
  2. 320
  3. 80 Correct answer.
  4. 160

Explanation

A quarter section contains 160 acres, and its east half contains half of that, or 80 acres. Halving the aliquot part halves the acreage.

Question 35Boundary Surveying

A surveyor measures a line as 15 chains. What is the equivalent length in feet?

  1. 660
  2. 825
  3. 990 Correct answer.
  4. 1,320

Explanation

A chain equals 66 feet, so 15 chains equals 15 times 66, or 990 feet. Chain-to-foot conversion is routine in retracing older descriptions.

Question 36Boundary Surveying

A surveyor measures a bearing as N 42 degrees 15 minutes E. What is the equivalent azimuth?

  1. 42 degrees 15 minutes Correct answer.
  2. 317 degrees 45 minutes
  3. 137 degrees 45 minutes
  4. 47 degrees 45 minutes

Explanation

In the northeast quadrant, azimuth and bearing angles are identical because both are measured clockwise from north. No adjustment is required until the line leaves that quadrant.

Question 37Boundary Surveying

A deed calls for a line to run to a large rock marked with an 'X' that is still present exactly where described. How should the surveyor treat this call?

  1. Disregard it because rocks are unreliable
  2. Scale the distance from the nearest corner
  3. Ignore the mark and use the bearing alone
  4. Hold the marked rock as controlling evidence Correct answer.

Explanation

A called-for monument that is found in place and matches the description is the best evidence of the corner. The distance and bearing yield to the monument under the hierarchy of calls.

Question 38Boundary Surveying

A surveyor finds that a recorded plat shows a lot line at a stated bearing, but the monuments set at the plat's corners yield a slightly different bearing. Which should control?

  1. The monuments set at the plat corners Correct answer.
  2. The area printed on the plat
  3. The bearing printed on the plat
  4. The nearest deed bearing

Explanation

Monuments set at the time of the original survey are original evidence and control over bearings and distances printed on the plat. The plat's figures are considered secondary to the physical corners.

Question 39Boundary Surveying

What is the primary purpose of a metes and bounds description?

  1. To state the zoning classification of a parcel
  2. To record the assessed value of a parcel
  3. To list the owners of record for a parcel
  4. To identify a parcel by its boundaries and their calls Correct answer.

Explanation

A metes and bounds description defines a parcel by tracing its perimeter through courses and distances tied to monuments and adjoiners. It is a boundary description, not an ownership or tax record.

Question 40Boundary Surveying

A surveyor computes a linear misclosure of 0.20 feet over a traverse perimeter of 4,000 feet. What is the relative precision?

  1. 1:20,000 Correct answer.
  2. 1:8,000
  3. 1:200
  4. 1:2,000

Explanation

Relative precision is the perimeter divided by the misclosure, so 4,000 divided by 0.20 equals 20,000, giving 1:20,000. A larger ratio indicates a more precise traverse.

Question 41Boundary Surveying

A deed calls for a boundary to run to the bank of a non-navigable stream. What does the grantee generally receive under the common law?

  1. Title to the entire stream bed
  2. Only a right to use the water
  3. No interest beyond the bank
  4. Title to the bed to the thread of the stream Correct answer.

Explanation

For non-navigable streams, the common law presumption is that a conveyance to the bank carries title to the thread, or centerline, of the stream bed. The grantee thus owns to the middle unless the deed expressly limits the grant.

Question 42Boundary Surveying

A surveyor is retracing a line called to run 'to a stake and stones' that has been destroyed, but the original field notes give a distance from a known corner. What is the most defensible approach?

  1. Set the corner where the current owner believes it belongs
  2. Set the corner at the nearest fence intersection
  3. Set the corner at the recorded distance along the recorded bearing Correct answer.
  4. Set the corner at the midpoint of the two nearest corners

Explanation

When a called monument is lost and cannot be recovered, the original record distance and bearing from a known corner are used to reestablish its position. This is the standard single-proportion method for a lost corner between known points.

Question 43Boundary Surveying

What does the term 'adverse possession' require of a claimant in most jurisdictions?

  1. Written permission from the adjoining owner
  2. Payment of taxes for one year
  3. A recorded deed signed by the true owner
  4. Open, notorious, hostile, and continuous use for a statutory period Correct answer.

Explanation

Adverse possession requires possession that is actual, open and notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous for the statutory period. These elements show the owner had notice and failed to act.

Question 44Boundary Surveying

A deed describes a parcel by lot number in a recorded subdivision plat. Which document governs the location of the lot lines?

  1. The recorded plat and its monuments Correct answer.
  2. The zoning ordinance map
  3. The seller's disclosure statement
  4. The county tax assessor's map

Explanation

A lot conveyed by reference to a recorded plat incorporates the plat into the deed, so the plat and its monuments control the lot lines. Extrinsic maps and statements do not alter that recorded geometry.

Question 45Boundary Surveying

A surveyor must set a corner that falls on a line between two known section corners where no original monument exists. Which method is appropriate?

  1. Random offset from a nearby feature
  2. Single proportion along the line Correct answer.
  3. Scaling from a small-scale map
  4. Estimating by eye from the terrain

Explanation

When a corner is lost between two known corners, a single proportion distributes the record distance along the measured line between the known points. This preserves the original proportional relationship.

Question 46Boundary Surveying

A surveyor discovers that a section corner is a 'double corner' resulting from a resurvey. What is the surveyor's proper first step?

  1. Disregard both corners and set a new one
  2. Average the two corner positions
  3. Use the corner closest to the section center
  4. Research the original and resurvey records to identify the controlling corner Correct answer.

Explanation

A double corner arises when a later survey sets a corner that conflicts with the original, and the original corner generally controls. Researching both records establishes which monument reflects the original government survey.

Question 47Boundary Surveying

A river that is navigable in fact gradually shifts its channel over many years, moving the bank away from a deed line. Under the doctrine of accretion, what happens to the boundary?

  1. It stays fixed at the original bank line
  2. It shifts to the thread of the new channel
  3. It moves only after a recorded survey
  4. It follows the gradual movement of the bank Correct answer.

Explanation

Under accretion, a boundary along a navigable watercourse follows the gradual, imperceptible movement of the bank. The riparian owner gains or loses land slowly as the water shifts.

Question 48Boundary Surveying

A surveyor retraces a description that calls for a line running 'to a point 100 feet west of the Jones barn.' The barn still stands. How should the surveyor locate the point?

  1. Ignore the barn and use the nearest deed distance
  2. Measure 100 feet west from the barn's original foundation
  3. Locate the point at the parcel's midpoint
  4. Measure 100 feet west from the barn as it exists Correct answer.

Explanation

A call to a fixed offset from an existing monument is a monument call, and the monument as it stands controls. The stated offset is measured from the physical object the deed identifies.

Question 49Boundary Surveying

Two deeds describe the same strip. Deed A was recorded first; Deed B was delivered first to a purchaser without notice of A. In a notice jurisdiction, which party generally prevails?

  1. The party with the larger acreage in the deed
  2. The party who paid the higher price
  3. The party who recorded first regardless of notice
  4. The party holding the later-recorded but first-delivered deed without notice Correct answer.

Explanation

A notice jurisdiction protects a subsequent purchaser who takes without notice of a prior unrecorded interest, even if the prior deed was recorded first. Notice, not the recording date alone, determines priority.

Question 50Boundary Surveying

A surveyor finds that the original government survey used a meander line along a navigable river, and the river has since moved by avulsion. What is the effect on the boundary?

  1. The meander line becomes the permanent boundary
  2. The boundary remains at the old bank line as it existed at the avulsion Correct answer.
  3. The boundary follows the new channel immediately
  4. The boundary moves to the thread of the new channel

Explanation

Avulsion is a sudden, perceptible change of channel, and the boundary remains where the water left the old bank. The owner does not gain or lose land from a sudden shift.