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IL Land Surveyor practice questions

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Question 1Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Under the U.S. Public Land Survey System, what is the standard width of a section, measured in chains?

  1. 80 chains Correct answer.
  2. 20 chains
  3. 40 chains
  4. 10 chains

Explanation

A regular PLSS section is one mile square, and a mile equals 80 chains (each chain being 66 feet). That gives a nominal area of 640 acres per section. The other values correspond to half-mile or quarter-mile distances.

Question 2Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

In a metes-and-bounds description, the phrase "thence North 45 degrees East 10.00 chains" describes a course where the bearing is measured from which reference?

  1. The previous course line, turned 45 degrees clockwise
  2. The east-west parallel, turned 45 degrees toward the north
  3. The north-south meridian, turned 45 degrees toward the east Correct answer.
  4. The magnetic meridian at the time of the original survey

Explanation

A bearing is an angle read from the north or south reference meridian toward the east or west, always 0 to 90 degrees. "North 45 degrees East" therefore means starting on north and rotating 45 degrees easterly. It is not a deflection angle from the prior line.

Question 3Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed conveys land "to A for life, then to B and his heirs." What estate does B hold during A's lifetime?

  1. A contingent remainder subject to a condition precedent
  2. A life estate pur autre vie
  3. A fee simple absolute in possession
  4. A vested remainder in fee simple Correct answer.

Explanation

B is ascertainable, the interest is created in a deed, and no condition must occur before B takes, so the remainder is vested. B holds a fee simple because the words "and his heirs" grant a fee. Possession is deferred until A's life estate ends.

Question 4Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor retracing a federal rectangular survey finds the original quarter-corner monument missing. Under accepted practice, the quarter corner should be reestablished at what position?

  1. The position that best fits the surrounding aliquot parts
  2. The record distance from the section corner along the line as platted
  3. The midpoint of a straight line between the section corners Correct answer.
  4. The intersection of lines run at cardinal bearings from the section corners

Explanation

When the original quarter-corner monument is lost, single proportion applies: the corner is placed at the midpoint of the straight line joining the two controlling section corners. Record distances are used only to check, not to control, the position. Proportioning preserves the original section as surveyed.

Question 5Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A riparian owner's boundary along a non-navigable stream that gradually changes course by accretion shifts in which manner?

  1. The boundary is reestablished by a new survey recorded with the county
  2. The boundary moves with the thread of the stream Correct answer.
  3. The boundary remains fixed at the original meander line
  4. The boundary moves only if the state grants a new patent

Explanation

Under the doctrine of accretion, a riparian owner gains or loses land as the water gradually shifts, and the boundary follows the thread of a non-navigable stream. No new conveyance is required because the change is imperceptible and natural. Sudden avulsion would instead leave the boundary fixed.

Question 6Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Which principle gives a monumented line precedence over a distance call in a deed when the two conflict?

  1. The doctrine of prescription
  2. The hierarchy of calls, placing monuments above courses and distances Correct answer.
  3. The rule of practical location
  4. The rule of adverse possession

Explanation

Courts apply a hierarchy of calls in which natural monuments rank above artificial monuments, which rank above courses, distances, and area. A found monument therefore controls over a stated distance. The other doctrines address boundary acquisition by use, not the interpretation of conflicting calls.

Question 7Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor discovers an original GLO stone at a section corner, but the stone sits 15 feet from the position a proportional calculation would produce. What should the surveyor do?

  1. Accept the stone as the controlling corner and hold it Correct answer.
  2. Disregard the stone because it is off position
  3. Move the stone to the calculated position
  4. Report both positions and let the county choose

Explanation

An original monument set by the government surveyor is the best available evidence of the corner and controls over proportional calculations. Proportioning is used only when the original is lost. The stone should be preserved and held, with the discrepancy documented.

Question 8Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

In a lot-and-block subdivision, a deed conveys "Lot 5, Block 3" and a later survey shows the platted lot is 0.3 foot narrower than the plat dimension. The boundary of Lot 5 is best determined by which evidence?

  1. The fence line the owner currently maintains
  2. The plat dimensions alone
  3. The area stated on the deed
  4. The monuments established when the plat was recorded Correct answer.

Explanation

For platted subdivisions, the monuments set at the time of the platting control over the plat distances and areas. The recorded plat and its monuments together define the lot. A fence line is not controlling unless it has ripened into a boundary by agreement or adverse possession.

Question 9Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Which of the following best describes the effect of a quitclaim deed on the grantor's warranty liability?

  1. It conveys no interest unless the grantor holds fee simple
  2. It warrants only against the grantor's own acts
  3. It carries the same warranties as a general warranty deed
  4. It conveys whatever interest the grantor may have with no warranty of title Correct answer.

Explanation

A quitclaim deed releases whatever interest the grantor holds and contains no covenants of title. The grantee takes at the risk of defects. Special warranty deeds, by contrast, warrant only against acts of the grantor.

Question 10Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A boundary dispute arises where a landowner has openly used a strip of a neighbor's land for grazing for the statutory period under a claim of right. Which doctrine most directly supports the landowner's claim?

  1. Prescription
  2. Easement by necessity
  3. Dedication
  4. Adverse possession Correct answer.

Explanation

Adverse possession transfers title to land when possession is actual, open, exclusive, hostile, and continuous for the statutory period. Prescription instead creates an easement right, not a title transfer. Easement by necessity and dedication address different situations.

Question 11Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed describes a parcel as "the north half of the northwest quarter of Section 12." How many acres does this description convey, assuming a regular section?

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

Explanation

A quarter section contains 160 acres, and the north half of that quarter contains half of 160, or 80 acres. The description is an aliquot part and is measured from the quarter section. Totals of 40, 160, and 320 acres correspond to other aliquot combinations.

Question 12Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

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

  1. To satisfy a building permit requirement
  2. To transfer title to the corner monument
  3. To establish adverse possession of the corner area
  4. To create a public record of the monument's position and description for future retracement Correct answer.

Explanation

Corner records document the location, description, and accessories of a monument so later surveyors can identify and rely on it. They preserve evidence rather than convey title. They are filed with the county as a public record.

Question 13Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed calls for a boundary to run "to a white oak tree, thence to a stone at the road." The white oak has since died and been removed. What evidence should the surveyor seek first to reestablish that corner?

  1. A proportional calculation between the two nearest section corners
  2. The current owner's memory of the fence line
  3. Testimony or records of the tree's original location and stumps or roots Correct answer.
  4. The deed distance to the next call

Explanation

A natural monument called for in a deed controls, and when it is gone the surveyor seeks the best remaining evidence of its original location, such as stumps, roots, or reliable testimony. Distances and proportioning are used only if that evidence cannot be found. Owner memory of a fence is weaker evidence.

Question 14Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Which statement correctly distinguishes a general warranty deed from a special warranty deed?

  1. A special warranty deed must be recorded, while a general warranty deed need not be
  2. A general warranty deed warrants against all claims, while a special warranty deed warrants only against claims arising from the grantor Correct answer.
  3. A general warranty deed conveys a fee simple, while a special warranty deed conveys only a life estate
  4. A general warranty deed requires a metes-and-bounds description, while a special warranty deed does not

Explanation

The distinction lies in the scope of the covenants, not the estate conveyed or the recording requirement. A general warranty deed includes covenants against all lawful claims, while a special warranty deed limits them to claims through the grantor. Both can convey a fee simple and both should be recorded.

Question 15Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor retracing a section finds the north line measures 5,280 feet and the south line measures 5,250 feet. For a lost interior sixteenth corner on a north-south line, which approach reflects proper PLSS proportioning?

  1. Proportion the position along the line according to the measured distances between controlling corners Correct answer.
  2. Set the corner at the intersection of cardinal lines from the section corners
  3. Use the record distance from the nearest section corner
  4. Place the corner at the midpoint of the east-west line

Explanation

Single proportion places a lost corner by scaling the record position to the measured distance between the controlling corners. When the controlling lines differ in length, double proportion may be needed. Record distances alone are not controlling because the original corners govern.

Question 16Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

In a metes-and-bounds description, the call "thence to the center of the creek" most likely establishes what kind of boundary?

  1. A line of fixed bearing and distance
  2. A natural monument boundary following the creek's centerline Correct answer.
  3. A line established by adverse possession
  4. A boundary set by the county plat

Explanation

A call to the center of a creek is a natural monument call, and the boundary follows the creek's centerline as it existed. Natural monuments rank high in the hierarchy of calls. The creek, not a computed bearing or distance, controls the location.

Question 17Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed conveys a parcel by reference to a recorded plat, but the deed also states a different acreage than the plat shows. Which controls the boundary location?

  1. The deed's general description of adjoining owners
  2. The recorded plat and its monuments Correct answer.
  3. The acreage stated in the deed
  4. The tax assessor's parcel map

Explanation

When a deed incorporates a recorded plat, the plat and the monuments it establishes control the boundary. Stated acreage is the weakest call and yields to the plat. Tax maps are not controlling boundary evidence.

Question 18Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Which of the following is the best example of a call that would be classified as a course in a deed description?

  1. A call to the centerline of a public road
  2. A call to the northeast corner of the adjoining owner's land
  3. A call to a granite boulder marked with an X
  4. A call reading "South 32 degrees 15 minutes East 415.20 feet" Correct answer.

Explanation

A course consists of a bearing and a distance, which is exactly what the South 32 degrees 15 minutes East 415.20 feet call provides. Monuments, whether natural or artificial, are separate categories of calls. Courses rank below monuments in the hierarchy.

Question 19Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A landowner whose deed describes the parcel as bounded by a meander line along a navigable river claims title to the submerged bed. Under the equal footing doctrine, what is the general rule for the bed of a navigable river?

  1. The riparian owner and the state hold the bed as tenants in common
  2. The state holds title to the bed in trust for the public Correct answer.
  3. The riparian owner holds title to the thread of the stream
  4. The federal government retains title to the bed

Explanation

Under the equal footing doctrine, states generally took title to the beds of navigable waters at statehood, held in trust for public use. Riparian owners on navigable waters typically hold to the ordinary high water mark, not to the thread of the stream. The federal government's interest passed to the state.

Question 20Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

What is the purpose of a boundary line agreement between adjoining landowners whose deed descriptions are ambiguous?

  1. To dedicate the disputed strip to the public
  2. To settle an uncertain boundary by agreement and establish a practical location Correct answer.
  3. To transfer title by adverse possession
  4. To create an easement across the disputed strip

Explanation

Where a boundary is uncertain or disputed, adjoining owners may agree on a practical location and be bound by it. The agreement resolves the uncertainty without requiring adverse possession. It is a consensual fix to a genuine ambiguity.

Question 21Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor is retracing a PLSS section and finds all four section corners but no quarter corners. How should the surveyor establish the quarter corners?

  1. By double proportion using all four section corners
  2. By running lines at cardinal bearings from the section corners
  3. By measuring record distances from the section corners
  4. By single proportion between the controlling section corners Correct answer.

Explanation

When the section corners are found but the quarter corners are lost, each quarter corner is placed at the midpoint of the straight line between the two controlling section corners. This is single proportion. Double proportion is used when the section corners themselves are lost and must be restored.

Question 22Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Which of the following is required for a valid deed in Illinois?

  1. Acknowledgment before a notary
  2. Recording with the county recorder
  3. A metes-and-bounds description
  4. A grantor, a grantee, words of grant, a description of the land, and delivery Correct answer.

Explanation

A deed must identify the parties, contain words of grant, describe the land, and be delivered to the grantee. Acknowledgment and recording affect priority and proof but are not essential to validity between the parties. Any sufficient legal description, including a lot-and-block reference, will serve.

Question 23Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor finds two monuments at a corner: an original GLO stone and a later-set iron pin about 3 feet away. Which should control the corner position?

  1. The later iron pin, because it is more recent
  2. Neither; the corner should be reestablished by proportion
  3. The midpoint between the two monuments
  4. The original GLO stone, because original government monuments control Correct answer.

Explanation

Original government monuments set by the GLO surveyor are the best evidence of the corner and control over later-set monuments. A later pin may reflect a different survey and does not displace the original. Proportioning is used only when the original monument is truly lost.

Question 24Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed description calls for a line to run "to the northwest corner of the Jones tract, thence along Jones's north line." What type of call is the reference to the Jones tract?

  1. An area call
  2. An adjoining-owner or monument call Correct answer.
  3. A course call
  4. A distance call

Explanation

A call to a neighbor's corner or line is an adjoining-owner call, which functions as a monument and ranks above courses, distances, and area. It ties the parcel to an existing boundary. The call identifies the boundary by reference to the neighboring property.

Question 25Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A landowner claims title to a strip of land by adverse possession. Which element is most often the focus of dispute in Illinois adverse possession cases?

  1. Whether the strip was included in the deed
  2. Whether the strip was surveyed
  3. The payment of property taxes on the strip
  4. Whether possession was hostile and under a claim of right Correct answer.

Explanation

Illinois adverse possession requires possession that is actual, open, notorious, exclusive, hostile, and continuous for the statutory period, and hostility is frequently contested. Payment of taxes can matter in some contexts but is not the central element. Inclusion in a deed or a survey is not required.

Question 26Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Under the hierarchy of calls applied when a deed description contains conflicting elements, which call generally controls over all others?

  1. A call for area or acreage
  2. A call for courses and distances
  3. A call for an artificial monument
  4. A call for a natural monument Correct answer.

Explanation

The traditional rule of construction ranks natural monuments highest, followed by artificial monuments, then courses and distances, and finally area. A natural monument such as a river, tree, or established landmark is least likely to have been misdescribed by the scrivener, so it prevails over the other calls.

Question 27Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed conveys land by a government rectangular survey aliquot description. Which term describes the 36-square-mile unit bounded by township lines and range lines?

  1. Quarter-quarter section
  2. Fractional lot
  3. Township Correct answer.
  4. Section

Explanation

A township in the PLSS is a six-mile-square area containing 36 sections, bounded by township lines on the north and south and range lines on the east and west. A section is one square mile, and a quarter-quarter section is 40 acres.

Question 28Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

In the order of importance used to resolve conflicting calls in a deed, how does a call for an artificial monument compare with a call for courses and distances?

  1. The call for distance controls because it is more precise
  2. The artificial monument controls over courses and distances Correct answer.
  3. The two calls are given equal weight and averaged
  4. The artificial monument yields to courses and distances

Explanation

Artificial monuments rank above courses and distances in the hierarchy of calls, though below natural monuments. Surveyors therefore hold a set monument such as a stone or iron pin over the recorded bearing and distance that would otherwise place the corner elsewhere.

Question 29Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed uses the phrase "subject to any easements of record." What is the practical effect of this language on the estate conveyed?

  1. It transfers title free of all encumbrances
  2. It creates a new easement in favor of the grantor
  3. It acknowledges existing encumbrances without warranting against them Correct answer.
  4. It reserves a life estate in the grantor

Explanation

A "subject to" clause recognizes that encumbrances already exist and are excepted from the grant; it does not create or extinguish them. The grantee takes title burdened by those recorded interests and generally cannot claim breach of warranty for them.

Question 30Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor is asked to locate the boundary of a parcel described only as "the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 8." How many acres does that aliquot part contain?

  1. 80 acres
  2. 20 acres
  3. 10 acres
  4. 40 acres Correct answer.

Explanation

A quarter-quarter section is one-sixteenth of a 640-acre section, or 40 acres. The SW quarter of the NE quarter is a single quarter-quarter, so it contains 40 acres.

Question 31Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

In boundary retracement, what does the term "monument" mean?

  1. The mathematical center of a section
  2. A recorded document filed with the county
  3. A physical object or mark that evidences a corner location Correct answer.
  4. Any written reference to a bearing in the deed

Explanation

A monument is a physical object, mark, or feature placed or recognized to evidence a boundary corner, such as a stone, iron pin, or bearing tree. Written calls and recorded documents describe monuments but are not themselves monuments.

Question 32Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed describes a boundary as running along "the meander line of the Illinois River." What does the meander line generally represent in a government survey?

  1. The thread of the stream
  2. The legal boundary of the upland owner
  3. The ordinary high water mark
  4. A line run to compute the area of the fractional lot Correct answer.

Explanation

In the PLSS, meander lines are run along the bank to calculate the area of fractional lots and are not the legal boundary. Title to the bed of a navigable stream generally extends to the ordinary high water mark or as state law provides, not merely to the meander line.

Question 33Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Which recording statute protects a subsequent purchaser who takes without notice of a prior unrecorded conveyance, regardless of whether that purchaser records first?

  1. Notice statute Correct answer.
  2. Race-notice statute
  3. Race statute
  4. Torrens statute

Explanation

Under a pure notice statute, a subsequent bona fide purchaser prevails over a prior unrecorded interest if the purchaser takes without notice, even without recording first. A race-notice statute adds the requirement that the subsequent purchaser record before the prior interest is recorded.

Question 34Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor retraces a section and finds the original bearing trees still standing but decayed, with the corner monument missing. What is the preferred basis for reestablishing the corner?

  1. Proportionate measurement between the nearest found corners
  2. The center of the section computed from the four found corners
  3. The bearing and distance from the bearing trees Correct answer.
  4. The nearest sixteenth-corner position shown on the plat

Explanation

When the original corner monument is gone but the original bearing trees survive, the trees are the best available evidence of the original corner. The surveyor reestablishes the corner by intersecting the recorded bearing and distance from the trees rather than by proportion.

Question 35Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed conveys a parcel "beginning at the northeast corner of Section 14, thence west 660 feet, thence south 660 feet, thence east 660 feet, thence north 660 feet to the point of beginning." What area does this description enclose?

  1. 40 acres
  2. 5 acres
  3. 10 acres Correct answer.
  4. 20 acres

Explanation

The calls describe a square 660 feet on each side, and 660 squared equals 435,600 square feet, which is exactly 10 acres. Each acre is 43,560 square feet.

Question 36Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed conveys "all of grantor's right, title, and interest" in a described parcel, with no covenants of warranty. Which form of conveyance does this language indicate?

  1. Quitclaim deed Correct answer.
  2. General warranty deed
  3. Special warranty deed
  4. Trustee's deed under a court order

Explanation

A quitclaim deed conveys only whatever interest the grantor may hold and contains no covenants of title. The phrase "right, title, and interest" with no warranty language is characteristic of a quitclaim conveyance.

Question 37Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A riparian owner's deed bounds the parcel by a non-navigable stream. Under the common-law rule still followed in many jurisdictions, where does the boundary lie?

  1. At the ordinary high water mark
  2. At the thread of the stream Correct answer.
  3. At the low water mark
  4. At the meander line shown on the plat

Explanation

For non-navigable streams, the common-law rule extends a riparian owner's title to the thread, or center, of the stream, subject to the rights of other riparians. Navigable waters are generally treated differently, with the state holding title to the bed.

Question 38Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

Two adjoining owners have long treated a fence line as their boundary, though their deeds place the line elsewhere. They sign a written agreement fixing the fence as the boundary. On what doctrine does this agreement most directly rest?

  1. Prescription
  2. Eminent domain
  3. Practical location by agreement Correct answer.
  4. Estoppel by deed

Explanation

Where adjoining owners agree on a boundary line and act on it, courts often enforce the line under the doctrine of practical location or boundary by agreement, particularly when the deeds are uncertain. The agreement, once executed, binds the parties and their successors.

Question 39Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed contains a call "thence north 45 degrees east a distance of 300 feet" followed by a call "to a concrete monument at the corner of the Smith parcel." The monument is found 12 feet short of 300 feet. How should the surveyor resolve the conflict?

  1. Split the difference between the two calls
  2. Hold the monument and record the discrepancy Correct answer.
  3. Reject the deed as ambiguous and stop the survey
  4. Hold the distance and set a new monument at 300 feet

Explanation

A call for a monument controls over a call for distance under the hierarchy of calls. The surveyor holds the found monument and notes the discrepancy between the record distance and the measured position.

Question 40Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

What is the legal significance of a surveyor's recorded plat or map under the Illinois Plat Act?

  1. It creates a public record of the subdivision and lot lines Correct answer.
  2. It subdivides land only when accompanied by a deed
  3. It conveys title to the lots shown
  4. It establishes the boundary of the original tract

Explanation

Recording a plat creates a public record of the subdivision layout and lot lines, and lots may then be conveyed by reference to the plat. The plat itself does not convey title; conveyance occurs by deed referring to the recorded plat.

Question 41Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A landowner claims title by adverse possession. Which element is typically the most contested in litigation?

  1. That the possession was open and notorious
  2. That the possession was continuous for the statutory period
  3. That the possession was hostile Correct answer.
  4. That the possession was actual

Explanation

Hostility is usually the most litigated element because it turns on the claimant's intent and the parties' understanding, and jurisdictions differ on whether mere use without permission suffices. Actual, open, and continuous possession is often easier to establish with physical evidence.

Question 42Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed describes a parcel as "Lot 7 in Block 2 of Riverside Subdivision, according to the plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 4, Page 12." A later survey finds Lot 7 contains 0.4 acre more than the plat shows. What controls the conveyed area?

  1. The acreage stated in the deed
  2. The acreage computed from the plat Correct answer.
  3. The acreage shown on the tax bill
  4. The acreage shown on the county assessor's map

Explanation

When a deed conveys by reference to a recorded plat, the plat governs the location and dimensions of the lot, and the computed area follows from the plat. Assessor and tax records are not controlling evidence of boundary location.

Question 43Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor finds an original government corner monument and a later-set iron pin nearby that conflicts with it. Which should be held as the corner?

  1. The original government monument, because original corners control Correct answer.
  2. The later iron pin, because it is more recent
  3. Neither, because the conflict requires a new survey
  4. The midpoint between the two marks

Explanation

Original government monuments are the best evidence of the original corner and control over later-set marks that conflict with them. The later pin is treated as a perpetuation monument only if it agrees with the original evidence.

Question 44Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed contains the phrase "together with all appurtenant easements." What does "appurtenant" mean in this context?

  1. The easement burdens the parcel conveyed
  2. The easement benefits the parcel and passes with the land Correct answer.
  3. The easement is personal to the grantor
  4. The easement may be terminated at will

Explanation

An appurtenant easement attaches to the benefited parcel and passes automatically with a conveyance of that parcel. It is distinguished from an easement in gross, which is personal to its holder and does not run with the land.

Question 45Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed describes a boundary as running "to a point on the north line of the Brown tract, thence along that line to the northeast corner thereof." What type of call is the reference to the Brown tract's north line?

  1. A call for a course and distance
  2. A call for area
  3. A call for an adjoining boundary or line call Correct answer.
  4. A call for a natural monument

Explanation

A call that follows an existing boundary of an adjoining tract is a line call or adjoinder, tying the parcel to a known boundary. Such calls are strong evidence of location because they reference an established line on the ground.

Question 46Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed conveys a parcel to "A for life, then to B and his heirs." What estate does B hold?

  1. A remainder for life
  2. A term of years
  3. A fee simple subject to A's life estate Correct answer.
  4. A life estate

Explanation

A holds a life estate, and B holds the remainder in fee simple because the grant uses "and his heirs" to create a fee. B's estate becomes possessory when A's life estate ends.

Question 47Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor must retrace a metes-and-bounds parcel whose deed calls begin at a stone at the road, run to a large oak, and then follow a bearing and distance to the point of beginning. The stone and oak are both missing. What is the most defensible approach?

  1. Abandon the retracement because the monuments are gone
  2. Use the best available secondary evidence and note the uncertainty in the survey Correct answer.
  3. Hold the record bearing and distance from a computed point of beginning
  4. Set new monuments at the record distances without further analysis

Explanation

When original monuments are lost, the surveyor assembles the best available secondary evidence, such as bearing trees, adjacent surveys, and occupation lines, and documents the reasoning and uncertainty. Silently setting monuments at record distances would create false evidence of the original corner.

Question 48Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A deed describes a parcel as "the north half of the southeast quarter of Section 22, excepting the east 10 acres thereof." Assuming a regular section, how many acres remain in the parcel?

  1. 90 acres
  2. 80 acres
  3. 70 acres Correct answer.
  4. 60 acres

Explanation

The north half of the southeast quarter is 80 acres, and the exception removes 10 acres from that half. The remaining area is therefore 70 acres.

Question 49Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A court must decide whether a boundary line established by long acquiescence is binding on a successor who purchased with record notice of the deeds. What principle most directly supports binding the successor?

  1. The acquiesced line runs with the land and binds successors Correct answer.
  2. The successor is a bona fide purchaser without notice
  3. The successor's deed is void for ambiguity
  4. The record deed always controls over occupation

Explanation

A boundary established by acquiescence or agreement attaches to the land and binds successors in interest, even those with record notice of a different deed line. The doctrine rests on the settled expectations created by the parties' conduct over time.

Question 50Land Surveying Fundamentals and Boundary Law

A surveyor retraces a section where the north boundary measures 5,280 feet and the south boundary measures 5,220 feet, and the original quarter corners are lost. For a lost quarter corner on the east line, what method is generally appropriate?

  1. Set the quarter corner by reference to the nearest sixteenth corner
  2. Set the quarter corner by single proportionate measurement between the section corners Correct answer.
  3. Set the quarter corner exactly midway between the section corners
  4. Set the quarter corner at the record distance from the north section corner

Explanation

When original quarter corners are lost and the section lines are not parallel, the position is restored by single proportionate measurement along the line between the controlling section corners. This distributes the excess or deficiency in the record distance proportionally.