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NH Land Surveyor practice questions

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Question 1Boundary Surveys and Retracement

Under the common-law rule for retracing original government surveys, which element of the original survey controls boundary location above all others?

  1. The bearing and distance recorded between the corners
  2. The position of the section corner as later remonumented by a county surveyor
  3. The natural monuments called for in the original field notes Correct answer.
  4. The acreage stated in the original patent

Explanation

The hierarchy of evidence places natural monuments first, followed by artificial monuments, then courses and distances, and lastly area or acreage. Natural monuments such as rivers, bluffs, and original bearing trees are the least likely to have been moved, so they carry the greatest weight. A later remonumentation is only evidence of where the corner probably was, not the controlling call.

Question 2Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A deed conveys a parcel 'beginning at a marked white oak at the northeast corner of the Smith tract, thence south 40 rods to a stone...' The white oak has since been cut. What is the surveyor's proper first step in retracement?

  1. Accept the nearest existing fence corner as the best available monument
  2. Compute the parcel area from the deed and scale the boundary to match
  3. Search the records and the field for evidence of the original oak's stump, roots, or bearing-tree scars Correct answer.
  4. Run the deed distances from the nearest section corner and set the corner there

Explanation

When a called monument is destroyed, the surveyor must first exhaust evidence of its original location, including stumps, root holes, blaze scars, and any record of it in prior surveys. Only after that search fails does the surveyor resort to secondary evidence such as courses and distances from known corners. Fence corners and computed areas are weaker evidence that cannot override a monument call.

Question 3Boundary Surveys and Retracement

In the Public Land Survey System, what does a 'meander corner' establish?

  1. A corner on a standard parallel where township lines change bearing
  2. A temporary corner used only during the original survey and never recorded
  3. A corner marking the intersection of two correction lines
  4. A corner set at the intersection of a section line and a record meander line Correct answer.

Explanation

A meander corner is established where a section or township line meets a body of water or other meanderable boundary, and it is tied to the record meander line. Standard parallels, or correction lines, are separate elements that control latitudinal error in township layout. Meander corners are recorded monuments, not temporary points.

Question 4Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor finds a section corner monument bearing the original 1856 inscription. Adjacent landowners agree the true corner is 15 feet away at a newer pipe. Which position should the surveyor adopt?

  1. The original 1856 monument, because original monuments control over later ones and over landowner preference Correct answer.
  2. The newer pipe, because more recent monuments control over older ones
  3. A midpoint between the two positions to balance the dispute
  4. The newer pipe, because the landowners' agreement is binding on the surveyor

Explanation

Original monuments set by the government survey control the location of the corner, and later monuments or landowner agreements cannot move a boundary that the original survey fixed. A surveyor must follow the original evidence rather than the parties' wishes. The newer pipe is at most secondary evidence of the corner's position.

Question 5Boundary Surveys and Retracement

Which term describes the intentional, gradual change of a stream channel through slow deposition and erosion, leaving the boundary unmoved under the doctrine of accretion?

  1. Erosion by avulsion
  2. Avulsion
  3. Reliction
  4. Accretion Correct answer.

Explanation

Accretion is the gradual and imperceptible addition of land by natural forces, and under the common-law rule the boundary moves with the water. Avulsion is a sudden, perceptible change that leaves the old boundary in place. Reliction is land exposed by the permanent recession of water, which is treated similarly to accretion but arises from a different process.

Question 6Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A description reads 'the east half of the northwest quarter of Section 14.' Absent evidence of a contrary original survey, how is this aliquot part located?

  1. By using the government lot lines shown on the plat
  2. By prorating the distance between the found quarter-section corners
  3. By dividing the section into equal halves and quarters regardless of monument positions
  4. By measuring from the section corners to the center and subdividing the resulting figure Correct answer.

Explanation

Aliquot parts are located by running straight lines between the controlling corners and their opposite counterparts, then subdividing the resulting figure. The subdivision is performed on the ground from the found corners, not by abstract geometry on paper. Government lots are used only where the plat itself created irregular lots, typically along meandered water.

Question 7Boundary Surveys and Retracement

What is the primary purpose of a correction line, or standard parallel, in the Public Land Survey System?

  1. To separate states along surveyed boundaries
  2. To correct for the convergence of meridians and accumulated measurement error in township lines Correct answer.
  3. To define the limits of meandered water bodies
  4. To mark the boundaries of Indian reservations

Explanation

Because meridians converge, township lines run north from a baseline would otherwise drift, so standard parallels are established at intervals to absorb the error. The township lines close on these correction lines rather than continuing indefinitely. Reservation boundaries, state lines, and meander limits are unrelated to the function of a standard parallel.

Question 8Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary described by a metes-and-bounds deed. Which principle governs when the deed's bearing and distance conflict with a found artificial monument called for in the deed?

  1. The bearing controls because it is measured with an instrument
  2. The called artificial monument controls over the bearing and distance Correct answer.
  3. The distance controls because it is a mathematical quantity
  4. The two should be averaged to resolve the conflict

Explanation

The hierarchy of evidence places monuments, including artificial monuments called for in the deed, above courses and distances. A found monument is physical evidence on the ground that is less likely to be in error than a transcribed bearing or distance. Averaging is not a recognized rule of construction.

Question 9Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A deed calls for a boundary to run 'to the center of the creek.' The creek has since shifted suddenly during a flood, abandoning its old channel. What is the boundary under the avulsion rule?

  1. The ordinary high-water mark of the present channel
  2. The thread of the nearest navigable water
  3. The center of the abandoned channel as it existed before the flood Correct answer.
  4. The center of the present creek channel

Explanation

Under the avulsion rule, a sudden and perceptible change of channel does not move the boundary, which remains at the center of the old channel. Accretion, by contrast, would move the boundary gradually with the water. The present channel and high-water mark are therefore not controlling after an avulsive event.

Question 10Boundary Surveys and Retracement

Two adjoining deeds describe a common line, one as 'north 10 degrees east' and the other as 'north 12 degrees east.' No monument exists along the line. How should a surveyor resolve the conflict?

  1. Adopt the bearing in the more recently recorded deed
  2. Average the two bearings to split the difference
  3. Adopt the bearing that best matches the deed acreage
  4. Adopt the bearing in the senior deed, since priority of conveyance governs Correct answer.

Explanation

Where deeds conflict and no monument controls, the senior conveyance generally prevails because the grantor could not later convey what had already passed. The junior deed yields to the extent of the overlap. Averaging, acreage matching, and recording date are not controlling rules of construction.

Question 11Boundary Surveys and Retracement

In the PLSS, a closing corner is established where a surveyed line closes on an existing line. How is the position of a closing corner properly determined?

  1. By setting it at the computed intersection of the two lines regardless of the monument found
  2. By measuring from the township corner at the recorded distance only
  3. By setting it at the nearest section corner
  4. By accepting the monument at the point where the line actually intersects the existing surveyed line Correct answer.

Explanation

A closing corner is set at the actual point of intersection of the new line with the previously surveyed line, and it may not fall at the computed position. Distances to the closing corner are then recorded from that monument. The monument, not the computation, fixes the corner.

Question 12Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor finds both an original bearing tree stump and a later-set iron pin near a section corner, with the pin 3 feet from the stump. Which evidence controls the corner location?

  1. The midpoint between the stump and the pin
  2. The stump of the original bearing tree, because original evidence controls Correct answer.
  3. Neither; the corner must be re-established by proportion from distant corners
  4. The iron pin, because it is a more durable modern monument

Explanation

Original evidence from the government survey, including bearing trees and their remnants, controls over monuments set later by others. The later iron pin is at most secondary evidence of where someone believed the corner to be. Proportionate measurement is used only when the original corner cannot be recovered from any evidence.

Question 13Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A parcel is described as bounded by a non-navigable stream. Under the common-law rule applied in most states, what does the boundary extend to?

  1. The low-water mark of the stream
  2. The edge of the bank at ordinary flood stage
  3. The ordinary high-water mark on the grantor's side
  4. The thread, or center, of the stream Correct answer.

Explanation

For non-navigable streams, the common-law rule extends ownership to the thread, or center, of the stream, subject to the rights of other riparians. The high-water mark and low-water mark rules apply to navigable waters in various states. Flood-stage limits are not a recognized boundary line.

Question 14Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A metes-and-bounds description calls for a boundary 'thence to a large granite boulder, thence along the stone wall to the highway.' The boulder is gone but the stone wall remains. What evidence should the surveyor rely on first?

  1. The area stated in the deed
  2. The deed distance to the boulder's computed position
  3. The highway right-of-way line
  4. The remaining stone wall and any evidence of the boulder's former location Correct answer.

Explanation

The stone wall is a called monument and, along with any remnants of the boulder, is the strongest available evidence of the described boundary. Distances, right-of-way lines, and acreage are subordinate and yield to monument evidence. The surveyor should document the search for the boulder before resorting to secondary evidence.

Question 15Boundary Surveys and Retracement

In the PLSS, what is the significance of a 'double corner' in a retracement?

  1. It is a corner set twice by the same surveyor to correct an error
  2. It is a corner common to four sections
  3. It occurs where the original survey set two corners for the same position, typically at a standard parallel Correct answer.
  4. It marks the intersection of a township line and a range line

Explanation

A double corner arises where the original survey set separate corners for the same nominal position, commonly at a standard parallel where closing corners and standard corners stand near each other. Retracement must recognize both monuments and their distinct roles. A corner common to four sections is an ordinary section corner, not a double corner.

Question 16Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor is asked to locate a lost interior section corner. The four surrounding section corners are found and accepted. What method is appropriate for re-establishing the lost corner?

  1. Single proportionate measurement between the found corners in each direction Correct answer.
  2. Running the original field-note distances from the nearest found corner
  3. Using the deed acreage to compute the corner position
  4. Setting the corner at the average of the four found corners

Explanation

Single proportionate measurement is the standard method for restoring a lost interior corner when the controlling corners on the lines are found and accepted. The position is proportioned in latitude and departure between the found corners. Averaging, raw field-note distances, and acreage do not produce the correct proportionate position.

Question 17Boundary Surveys and Retracement

Which statement best describes the legal effect of a recorded plat on boundary location for lots within the subdivision?

  1. The plat, once recorded and referenced in deeds, controls the location of lots and blocks Correct answer.
  2. The plat has no effect unless approved by a court
  3. The plat is merely illustrative and the deed distances control
  4. The plat controls only if monuments are absent

Explanation

A recorded plat referenced in deeds becomes part of the conveyance and controls the location of lots, blocks, and streets shown on it. Monuments set according to the plat and the plat lines themselves are the primary evidence. Deed distances and later instruments cannot override the recorded plat.

Question 18Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel by reference to a lot on a recorded plat, but the lot as staked on the ground is 8 feet wider than the plat dimension. What controls the boundary?

  1. The midpoint between the staked line and the plat line
  2. The plat dimensions, because the recorded plat controls over the stakes Correct answer.
  3. The staked lot lines, because monuments control over the plat
  4. The deed acreage

Explanation

Where a deed conveys by lot number on a recorded plat, the plat controls the lot's dimensions and location. Stakes that do not conform to the plat are not monuments of the subdivision and do not override it. Acreage and averaging play no role in this determination.

Question 19Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor discovers that a fence has been treated as the boundary for 25 years, though the deed line lies 5 feet away. The jurisdiction recognizes boundary by acquiescence. What should the surveyor report?

  1. The deed line, because adverse possession requires color of title
  2. Only the deed line, ignoring the fence entirely
  3. A line midway between the fence and the deed line
  4. The fence line as the practical boundary, noting the basis in acquiescence Correct answer.

Explanation

Where the jurisdiction recognizes boundary by acquiescence, a long-treated fence line can establish the practical boundary even though it differs from the deed line. The surveyor should report the fence line and explain the legal basis. Ignoring the fence or splitting the difference would misstate the boundary.

Question 20Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A deed's description closes with a large error of closure, and the surveyor must determine whether the description is ambiguous. Which rule of construction applies to a call that is inconsistent with all other calls?

  1. The inconsistent call is given full effect
  2. The surveyor may choose whichever call produces the largest parcel
  3. The entire description is void
  4. The inconsistent call may be rejected as mistaken if the remaining calls close the parcel Correct answer.

Explanation

A call that is plainly inconsistent with the rest of the description and prevents closure may be rejected as a mistake, allowing the remaining calls to define the parcel. Courts disfavor striking calls, so the inconsistency must be clear. The description is not void, and the surveyor cannot select calls to maximize area.

Question 21Boundary Surveys and Retracement

In retracing a federal township boundary, a surveyor finds that the original quarter-section corner is lost but the section corners on either side are original. What is the correct procedure?

  1. Set the quarter corner at the computed proportional distance from the township corner
  2. Set the quarter corner at the average of the original field-note distance and the measured distance
  3. Set the quarter corner by running the original bearing from the nearest section corner
  4. Set the quarter corner at the midpoint of the straight line between the two original section corners Correct answer.

Explanation

When a quarter-section corner is lost and the adjacent section corners are original, the corner is restored at the midpoint of the straight line connecting them. This is the standard rule for restoring a lost quarter corner on a line between original corners. Field-note distances, bearings, and township-corner proportions are not used in that situation.

Question 22Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A riparian parcel's deed calls for the 'northerly bank' of a navigable river, but the state holds title to the bed. What boundary does the upland owner hold to, absent contrary state law?

  1. The ordinary high-water mark Correct answer.
  2. The low-water mark
  3. The thread of the river
  4. The center of the navigation channel

Explanation

Where the state holds title to the bed of a navigable river, the upland owner generally holds to the ordinary high-water mark, subject to state-specific rules. The thread and low-water mark are used in other riparian doctrines. The navigation channel is not a boundary line.

Question 23Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor must retrace a line described in an 1880 deed as 'thence south 45 degrees west 20 chains to a pile of stones.' The pile is gone, but a 1930 survey by a reputable surveyor records the pile at a point 18.5 chains from the beginning. How should the surveyor treat the 1930 record?

  1. As irrelevant, because it postdates the original deed
  2. As controlling only if the 1930 surveyor was licensed
  3. As secondary evidence of the monument's location, to be weighed with other evidence Correct answer.
  4. As controlling, because it is the only record of the monument

Explanation

A later surveyor's record of a monument is secondary evidence that may help locate the original monument but does not itself control. The surveyor should weigh it against other evidence such as field notes, physical remnants, and occupation lines. Licensing status and the mere fact of later date do not make the record controlling.

Question 24Boundary Surveys and Retracement

In a state that follows the 'government survey prevails' rule, a senior deed's metes-and-bounds description conflicts with the federal subdivision of the same land. Which controls?

  1. The federal subdivision, because the government survey controls the land description Correct answer.
  2. The description recorded first in the county
  3. The senior metes-and-bounds description, because it is earlier
  4. The description that yields the larger area

Explanation

Under the government-survey-prevails rule, the federal subdivision governs over a conflicting metes-and-bounds description of the same land, even if the metes-and-bounds deed is earlier. The rule reflects the supremacy of the federal survey in disposing of public lands. Area and recording order do not resolve this conflict.

Question 25Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary along a stream that has gradually shifted over 40 years, adding 30 feet of land to the parcel. The deed calls for the stream as the boundary. What is the correct treatment?

  1. The boundary remains at the stream's original location as shown on the oldest available map
  2. The boundary is fixed at the ordinary high-water mark as of the deed date
  3. The added land belongs to the state as sovereign
  4. The boundary follows the stream as it gradually shifts, under the doctrine of accretion Correct answer.

Explanation

Under the doctrine of accretion, a gradual and imperceptible shift of a stream moves the boundary with the water, and the riparian owner gains or loses the added land. The original map location and the deed-date high-water mark do not fix the boundary in an accretion situation. The state does not acquire gradually accreted land from a private riparian owner.

Question 26Boundary Surveys and Retracement

In the Public Land Survey System, what does a 'meander line' along a navigable body of water actually represent?

  1. A correction line run east-west to offset convergence of meridians within the township
  2. A line run to approximate the water boundary for computing area, not a boundary of the land conveyed Correct answer.
  3. The boundary of the upland title, fixed permanently at the water's edge as it existed at survey
  4. The thread of the stream, established to divide ownership of the submerged bed between abutting owners

Explanation

A meander line is run only to determine the approximate quantity of land in fractional lots and to locate the water body; it is not a boundary line. Title to the upland generally extends to the water according to the applicable rule (ordinary high water, bank, or thread of the stream), and accretion or reliction can move that boundary even though the meander line stays fixed.

Question 27Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a PLSS section corner finds the original monument gone, but finds the original bearing trees described in the field notes. What is the proper status and treatment of the corner?

  1. The corner cannot be restored, so the surveyor must file a new subdivision of the section by equal-area method
  2. The corner is lost, so it must be reestablished by proportionate measurement between the nearest found corners
  3. The corner is considered existent, and any later-set monument at the same location controls over the bearing trees
  4. The corner is obliterated, and its position may be restored from the bearing trees and other acceptable evidence of the original location Correct answer.

Explanation

When the original monument is gone but its location can be recovered from reliable evidence such as original bearing trees, the corner is treated as obliterated rather than lost. The recovered position is restored from that evidence, and the restored original location controls over later monuments or measurements.

Question 28Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A deed conveys a parcel 'beginning at the northeast corner of the Jones tract, thence south 200 feet, thence west 150 feet...' The Jones tract is not described in the deed but is shown on a recorded plat. How is this call properly classified?

  1. A call for area, which controls when the parcel is described as being a stated number of acres
  2. A call for an adjoiner, which is a natural or artificial monument of higher dignity than courses and distances Correct answer.
  3. A call for course and distance, which controls over all other calls
  4. A call for quantity, which is the least reliable element of a description

Explanation

A call to the corner or line of an adjoining tract is a call for an adjoiner, treated as a monument that identifies a fixed point on the ground. Monuments and adjoiners generally control over courses, distances, and quantity in the hierarchy of calls.

Question 29Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor is retracing a boundary and finds that a deed's courses and distances do not close by 0.8 foot over a 1,200-foot perimeter, while the monuments called for are all found in good condition. How should the surveyor treat the misclosure?

  1. Average the monument positions with the computed positions to split the discrepancy
  2. Disregard the monuments and hold the record courses and distances strictly
  3. Reject the deed description as void because it does not close mathematically
  4. Hold the found monuments and adjust the record courses and distances to fit them Correct answer.

Explanation

A small misclosure in courses and distances is expected and does not invalidate a description when the called monuments are found. The monuments control, and the record measurements are adjusted to fit the monumented corners rather than the reverse.

Question 30Boundary Surveys and Retracement

Under the common-law doctrine of prescription as applied to boundaries in many states, which element is essential in addition to open, notorious, and continuous use?

  1. Use that is adverse, under a claim of right, for the statutory period Correct answer.
  2. Payment of ad valorem taxes on the disputed strip for the statutory period
  3. Recording of a corrected deed within one year of the dispute
  4. A written agreement between the adjoining owners describing the line

Explanation

Prescription (and adverse possession) requires use that is adverse and under a claim of right, in addition to being open, notorious, and continuous for the statutory period. Tax payment is a requirement in some adverse-possession statutes but is not part of the common-law prescription doctrine.

Question 31Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A deed describes a parcel as the 'west half of the southwest quarter of Section 22, Township 4 North, Range 3 East.' The original government survey set the section corners, but the quarter corner between the west and east halves of the SW quarter is lost and cannot be recovered. How should the surveyor locate the line dividing the west and east halves?

  1. Run a line from the found center of the section to the found south quarter corner and divide it equally
  2. Run a line between the found section corners at the north and south ends of the SW quarter and divide it into equal halves Correct answer.
  3. Run a line from the southwest corner to the southeast corner and divide it into two equal halves
  4. Set the dividing line at the record distance stated in the original field notes from the west section line

Explanation

For a lost quarter corner or center line within a section, the position is restored by running a straight line between the nearest found and accepted corners on the same line and dividing it into equal parts. Here the north and south section corners bounding the SW quarter are found, so the midpoint of that line restores the lost quarter corner.

Question 32Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A boundary line in a metes-and-bounds description runs 'thence to a white oak tree standing on the bank of Mill Creek.' The tree is gone, but a stump of the same species and size remains at the described location. How should the surveyor treat the call?

  1. The call must be replaced by the nearest found iron pin regardless of location
  2. The call should be ignored and the line extended to the creek's thread
  3. The call fails because the tree no longer exists, so the course and distance control
  4. The stump may be accepted as evidence of the original monument and the call satisfied at that point Correct answer.

Explanation

A natural monument that has been destroyed may be evidenced by its remains, such as a stump, roots, or other physical traces at the described location. If the remains are sufficiently identified as the original monument, the call is satisfied there and controls over course and distance.

Question 33Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor finds a stone marked with the original township corner markings at a location 12 feet from the position indicated by the original field notes' distances. Which controls?

  1. The marked stone, because an original monument controls over record measurements Correct answer.
  2. The average of the stone and the computed position
  3. The nearest section corner, because township corners are subordinate
  4. The field-note distances, because they are the official record of the survey

Explanation

An original monument found in place, with markings consistent with the record, controls over the distances recorded in the field notes. Record measurements may contain errors, and the monument as set is the best evidence of the corner's true location.

Question 34Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A recorded subdivision plat shows Lot 12 with a 60-foot frontage, but the lot as monumented on the ground has a 64-foot frontage because the block was laid out slightly wider than platted. How should a surveyor locating Lot 12 resolve the discrepancy?

  1. Hold the record 60-foot frontage and leave 4 feet as an unclaimed strip at the end of the block
  2. Split the 4-foot difference equally among all lots in the block
  3. Replat the block to conform to the record dimensions before locating any lot
  4. Hold the monumented lot lines as the boundaries, since the plat's monuments control over the record dimensions Correct answer.

Explanation

Where a plat has been monumented on the ground, the monuments set by the subdivider control over the record dimensions shown on the plat. The lot lines as monumented define the boundaries, and the record distances are adjusted to fit the monuments.

Question 35Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A deed conveys land bounded by a non-navigable stream, and the stream has gradually eroded its bank over many years, reducing the parcel. Under the doctrine of erosion as generally applied, what happens to the boundary?

  1. The boundary moves with the stream, and the riparian owner loses the land removed by gradual erosion Correct answer.
  2. The boundary is fixed at the thread of the stream as it existed at the date of the deed
  3. The boundary moves with the stream, but the owner may reclaim the lost land by artificial fill
  4. The boundary remains at the original bank location because the deed's meander line is fixed

Explanation

Under the doctrine of erosion, gradual and imperceptible changes in a stream channel move the boundary with the water. The riparian owner loses land removed by erosion, just as the owner gains land added by accretion.

Question 36Boundary Surveys and Retracement

An 1890 deed calls for a boundary to run 'to a pile of stones at the corner of the Brown tract, thence along Brown's line.' The pile is scattered, but the Brown tract's deed and a nearby original fence corner are consistent with the described location. How should the surveyor evaluate the call?

  1. The call should be disregarded in favor of the deed's course and distance
  2. The call fails because the pile no longer exists as a monument
  3. The call may be satisfied by the remains of the pile together with corroborating evidence of the Brown line Correct answer.
  4. The call must be replaced by the nearest found iron pin

Explanation

A destroyed or disturbed monument may be reestablished from its remains when those remains, together with corroborating evidence such as adjoiners and fences, identify the original location. The corroborating evidence strengthens the identification and supports holding the call.

Question 37Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor retracing a line finds that a deed's bearing reads 'north 40 degrees east,' but the original surveyor's field notes and the found monuments indicate a bearing of north 42 degrees east. Which principle governs?

  1. The average of the two bearings controls
  2. The monuments control, and the bearing is adjusted to agree with the monumented line Correct answer.
  3. The bearing in the field notes controls because it is the original record
  4. The bearing in the deed controls, because it is the language of conveyance

Explanation

In the hierarchy of calls, monuments control over courses (bearings) and distances. When the found monuments establish the line, the recorded bearing is adjusted to fit the monumented line rather than the reverse.

Question 38Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A riparian owner's deed calls for the 'northerly bank' of a navigable river, and the state holds title to the bed. Over 30 years the river has gradually shifted north, exposing additional land. Who owns the newly exposed land?

  1. No one, because the land is sovereign and cannot be acquired by accretion
  2. The state, because it owns the bed of the navigable river
  3. The riparian owner, because the boundary moves with the bank under the doctrine of accretion Correct answer.
  4. The riparian owner only if the shift was sudden and avulsive

Explanation

Where the boundary is the bank of a navigable river and the change is gradual and imperceptible, the doctrine of accretion moves the boundary with the water and the riparian owner gains the exposed land. Sudden avulsion would leave the boundary where it was.

Question 39Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor is asked to locate a parcel described only as 'the east 20 acres of the northwest quarter of Section 8.' The quarter is regular and its corners are found. How should the 20 acres be laid out?

  1. By measuring 20 chains west from the east quarter line regardless of the quarter's depth
  2. By dividing the quarter into four equal 40-acre quarters and taking the easternmost half
  3. By running a line from the northeast corner to the southwest corner of the quarter
  4. By running a line north-south at a distance from the east quarter line equal to 20 acres divided by the quarter's depth Correct answer.

Explanation

A description of a stated acreage within a quarter section is laid out by computing the width that yields the stated area given the quarter's actual depth. The line is run parallel to the east quarter line at that computed distance.

Question 40Boundary Surveys and Retracement

A surveyor finds that a fence has been treated as the boundary for 25 years, though the deed line lies 5 feet away, and the statutory period is 20 years. The neighboring owner has paid taxes on the disputed strip. Which doctrine most directly supports confirming the fence line?

  1. Doctrine of prescription, which applies only to easements
  2. Practical location by acquiescence, supported by adverse possession elements Correct answer.
  3. Rule of apportionment, because the deed's area is uncertain
  4. Doctrine of merger, because the two parcels have been held by one owner

Explanation

Acquiescence in a fence line as the boundary, coupled with long possession and payment of taxes, supports confirming the fence as the practical location of the boundary. The facts also satisfy adverse possession elements under the 20-year statute.

Question 41Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A boundary bearing is recorded as N 42°18'36" E. Expressed as an azimuth measured clockwise from north, what is this bearing?

  1. 137.6900°
  2. 47.6900°
  3. 317.6900°
  4. 42.3100° Correct answer.

Explanation

In the northeast quadrant the azimuth equals the bearing angle measured from north. Convert the minutes and seconds to decimal degrees: 18/60 = 0.30 and 36/3600 = 0.01, giving 42.31°. No quadrant adjustment is needed.

Question 42Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A closed traverse has latitudes that sum to +0.24 ft and departures that sum to -0.18 ft. What is the linear misclosure?

  1. 0.30 ft Correct answer.
  2. 0.06 ft
  3. 0.09 ft
  4. 0.42 ft

Explanation

Linear misclosure is the vector magnitude of the summed latitudes and departures: the square root of (0.24² + 0.18²). That gives the square root of 0.0576 + 0.0324 = 0.0900, which is 0.30 ft.

Question 43Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

The interior angles of a five-sided closed polygon traverse are measured. What is the correct sum of the interior angles?

  1. 720°00'00"
  2. 540°00'00" Correct answer.
  3. 450°00'00"
  4. 360°00'00"

Explanation

The interior angles of a closed polygon with n sides sum to (n − 2) × 180°. For n = 5 this is 3 × 180° = 540°. This geometric check is used to detect angular misclosure in a traverse.

Question 44Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A rectangular parcel measures 264.0 ft by 330.0 ft. How many acres does it contain?

  1. 3.00 acres
  2. 2.50 acres
  3. 1.50 acres
  4. 2.00 acres Correct answer.

Explanation

The area is 264.0 × 330.0 = 87,120 square feet. Because one acre equals 43,560 square feet, dividing gives exactly 2.00 acres.

Question 45Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

In a plane coordinate system, point A is at (1000.00, 2000.00) and point B is at (1000.00, 2500.00), with coordinates given as (northing, easting). What is the bearing from A to B?

  1. East
  2. West
  3. South
  4. North Correct answer.

Explanation

The easting is unchanged and the northing increases by 500.00, so the line runs due north. A line with zero departure and positive latitude has a bearing of N 0° E, which is north.

Question 46Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A distance measured on a map at a scale of 1:24,000 is 3.5 inches. What ground distance does this represent, in feet (1 mile = 5,280 ft)?

  1. 21,000 ft
  2. 7,000 ft Correct answer.
  3. 1,750 ft
  4. 1,000 ft

Explanation

Multiply the map distance by the scale denominator: 3.5 in × 24,000 = 84,000 in on the ground. Dividing by 12 in/ft gives 7,000 ft.

Question 47Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A total-station shot gives a slope distance of 100.000 m and a vertical angle of 0° (the line of sight is horizontal). What is the horizontal distance?

  1. 100.000 m Correct answer.
  2. 141.421 m
  3. 70.710 m
  4. 0.000 m

Explanation

Horizontal distance equals slope distance times the cosine of the vertical angle. The cosine of 0° is 1, so the horizontal distance equals the slope distance of 100.000 m.

Question 48Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A deed calls for a boundary bearing of S 30°00'00" W. What is the equivalent azimuth measured clockwise from north?

  1. 30°00'00"
  2. 330°00'00"
  3. 150°00'00"
  4. 210°00'00" Correct answer.

Explanation

For a southwest bearing, the azimuth equals 180° plus the bearing angle. Adding 180° + 30° gives 210°. This places the direction in the southwest quadrant as expected.

Question 49Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A closed traverse with a total perimeter of 2,500.00 ft has a linear misclosure of 0.25 ft. What is the relative precision, expressed as a ratio in the form 1:X?

  1. 1:25,000
  2. 1:10,000 Correct answer.
  3. 1:1,000
  4. 1:2,500

Explanation

Relative precision is the perimeter divided by the misclosure: 2,500.00 / 0.25 = 10,000. Expressed as a ratio this is 1:10,000, a common acceptance threshold for traverses.

Question 50Mathematics, Computations and Coordinate Geometry

A traverse has latitudes summing to +0.30 ft and departures summing to +0.40 ft, with a total perimeter of 1,000.00 ft. Using the compass (Bowditch) rule, what correction is applied to the latitude of a course 250.00 ft long?

  1. −0.075 ft Correct answer.
  2. +0.075 ft
  3. −0.300 ft
  4. −0.100 ft

Explanation

The compass rule distributes misclosure in proportion to course length. Latitude correction = −(Σlatitude) × (course length / perimeter) = −0.30 × (250/1000) = −0.075 ft. The sign is opposite the misclosure to close the traverse.