I85PREP
⌘ K
NSPS CST Level III study materials
NSPS CST Level III study resources

NSPS CST Level III practice questions

One question at a time. Build your NSPS CST Level III 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 1Field Track

Under the NSPS Certified Survey Technician program, which field-track competency is most directly demonstrated by correctly setting up and leveling an automatic level and reducing a closed differential level loop?

  1. Differential leveling fieldwork Correct answer.
  2. Boundary evidence evaluation
  3. GPS network adjustment
  4. Construction layout stakeout

Explanation

Differential leveling is the field process of determining elevation differences between points by taking backsight and foresight readings on a leveled instrument. Reducing a closed loop and checking the misclosure tests the technician's ability to perform and verify that fieldwork. Boundary evidence evaluation and GPS adjustment belong to other CST tracks, and stakeout is a separate layout skill.

Question 2Field Track

A survey crew must establish a temporary benchmark in stable ground before beginning a leveling run. Which practice best supports reliable elevation transfer throughout the project?

  1. Placing the turning point on a grassy hummock near the instrument
  2. Selecting a permanent object such as a concrete headwall or bedrock outcrop Correct answer.
  3. Using the top of a chain-link fence post as the reference mark
  4. Setting the rod on a wooden stake driven into soft fill

Explanation

A temporary benchmark should be a stable, identifiable object unlikely to move during the work so that elevations remain consistent across the run. Concrete structures and bedrock are favored because they resist frost heave, settlement, and disturbance. Soft fill, vegetation, and thin fence posts are prone to movement and cannot reliably hold elevation.

Question 3Field Track

During a closed level loop, the crew records a misclosure of 0.06 ft over a route of 12 setups. Before adjusting, what should the technician first do?

  1. Accept the loop because any misclosure under 0.10 ft is always allowed
  2. Check for arithmetic errors, rod reading mistakes, and disturbed turning points Correct answer.
  3. Discard the field notes and re-observe without review
  4. Apply the full correction to the first backsight only

Explanation

A misclosure signals either an allowable random error or a blunder, and blunders must be found before any adjustment is applied. Reviewing the reduction, rod readings, and turning-point stability is the standard first step. Adjusting or accepting a loop without this review can propagate a systematic error through the whole project.

Question 4Field Track

A technician is asked to lay out a building corner from control points using a total station. Which combination of instrument functions is essential for accurate horizontal stakeout?

  1. Compass bearing and pacing
  2. Vertical-angle measurement alone
  3. Angle measurement and distance measurement from a known setup Correct answer.
  4. Barometric pressure and temperature logging only

Explanation

Horizontal stakeout requires turning the correct angle from a known baseline and measuring the correct distance to place the point. A total station combines these two measurements from an occupied control point. Vertical angles alone, environmental logging, or compass and pacing cannot establish horizontal position to survey accuracy.

Question 5Field Track

When establishing horizontal control for a topographic survey of a wooded parcel, which field approach most improves the reliability of traversed positions?

  1. Running a single open traverse with no check
  2. Sighting only short shots between nearby trees
  3. Closing the traverse on known control and checking angular misclosure Correct answer.
  4. Relying on a hand compass for all azimuths

Explanation

Closing a traverse on known control allows the crew to compute angular and linear misclosure and detect blunders before coordinates are used. An open traverse provides no independent check, so errors go undetected. Short shots and compass work reduce rather than improve positional reliability.

Question 6Field Track

A rod reading is taken on a turning point, and the rod is then lifted and reset before the next backsight. What is the primary consequence for the leveling run?

  1. The instrument height of the previous setup changes automatically
  2. The misclosure will always be zero
  3. The elevation of the turning point becomes uncertain, introducing error into all subsequent elevations Correct answer.
  4. The backsight distance becomes invalid but elevations stay correct

Explanation

A turning point must remain undisturbed between the foresight and the following backsight because its elevation carries the datum forward. If the rod is moved or the point is disturbed, the assumed elevation is wrong and every later elevation inherits that error. Instrument height and distances are not corrected by moving the rod.

Question 7Field Track

Which field record is most important to document immediately when a boundary corner monument is found during a survey?

  1. The color of the monument cap only
  2. The weather at the time of the find
  3. The brand of the metal detector used
  4. The monument type, condition, position, and accessories observed Correct answer.

Explanation

Field notes for a found monument must capture what it is, its condition, its measured position, and any accessories or witness marks that support its identity. These details allow later evaluation of boundary evidence and reproducibility of the survey. Cosmetic, meteorological, or equipment details do not establish the monument's evidentiary value.

Question 8Field Track

During a topographic pickup, a technician observes a utility pole and overhead lines. Which field practice best supports a usable deliverable?

  1. Estimating the pole position from memory after returning to the office
  2. Sketching the pole only on a separate sheet with no coordinates
  3. Omitting the pole because it is above ground
  4. Recording the pole location and noting overhead clearance or line type in the field notes Correct answer.

Explanation

Above-ground features such as utility poles and lines are part of the topographic record and should be positioned and described in the field. Noting line type or clearance adds information that office staff cannot reconstruct later. Omission, disconnected sketches, or memory-based estimates degrade the deliverable.

Question 9Field Track

A crew is setting up a total station and needs to orient it to a known backsight. Which procedure best ensures the instrument is referenced correctly?

  1. Level the instrument, enter the station coordinates, sight the backsight, and set the horizontal angle to the computed bearing Correct answer.
  2. Level the instrument and begin measuring without entering station data
  3. Sight the backsight first, then level the instrument
  4. Set the horizontal angle to zero on any convenient object

Explanation

Proper orientation requires leveling, entering the occupied station coordinates, sighting the backsight, and setting the horizontal circle to the known direction. This establishes the relationship between instrument angles and project coordinates. Reversing the order or skipping station data leaves the orientation undefined.

Question 10Field Track

Which condition most commonly causes a systematic error in a long differential leveling run rather than a random error?

  1. A single misread rod number
  2. Varying observer concentration across the day
  3. Slight out-of-adjustment of the instrument's line of sight Correct answer.
  4. Occasional wind gusts shaking the tripod

Explanation

A line of sight that is not parallel to the bubble tube produces the same directional error at every setup, which accumulates systematically along the run. Wind, a single misread, and fluctuating attention produce random scatter rather than a consistent bias. Balancing sight distances helps cancel the collimation error.

Question 11Field Track

A survey crew must measure a distance across a busy roadway where taping is unsafe. Which field method is most appropriate for obtaining the distance?

  1. Estimating from a small-scale map
  2. Pacing the distance between curbs
  3. Total station distance measurement from an offset control point Correct answer.
  4. Using a carpenter's level and string

Explanation

An electronic distance measurement from a total station set on control provides accurate, safe measurement without occupying the roadway. Offsets keep the crew clear of traffic while preserving precision. Pacing, map scaling, and string levels are too imprecise or impractical for survey distances.

Question 12Field Track

When performing a cross-section survey for a roadway project, which field decision most affects whether the sections represent the actual ground?

  1. Choosing the instrument brand
  2. Selecting the color of the field book
  3. Recording the observer's name
  4. Spacing and placement of section shots at breaks in slope Correct answer.

Explanation

Cross sections must capture breaks in slope and ground character at appropriate intervals to represent the true surface. Shot spacing and placement at grade changes determine the fidelity of the section. Administrative or equipment choices do not affect the geometric representation.

Question 13Field Track

A field technician measures a horizontal angle by turning from a backsight to a foresight in the direct position, then repeats in the reverse position. What is the main purpose of this procedure?

  1. To convert the angle to a vertical angle
  2. To eliminate instrument pointing and circle graduation errors Correct answer.
  3. To speed up the observation by skipping the backsight
  4. To avoid leveling the instrument

Explanation

Observing in both face positions cancels errors from eccentricity, collimation, and circle graduation that reverse when the telescope is plunged. Averaging direct and reverse readings yields a more reliable horizontal angle. The procedure does not replace leveling or change the angle type.

Question 14Field Track

While reducing field notes, a technician finds that a foresight was recorded as 4.72 when the rod clearly showed 4.27. What is the best corrective action?

  1. Flag the discrepancy and return to the field to re-observe the affected setup Correct answer.
  2. Silently change the number to make the loop close
  3. Average the two values and proceed
  4. Ignore the error because it is small

Explanation

A transposition blunder must be verified in the field because the correct value cannot be reliably reconstructed at the desk. Re-observing the affected setup preserves the integrity of the leveling run. Silent edits, averaging, or ignoring the error conceal the problem and corrupt the elevations.

Question 15Field Track

Which field practice best reduces the effect of refraction and curvature when running a precise differential leveling line?

  1. Taking all foresights at the maximum possible distance
  2. Setting the rod on the highest available ground
  3. Keeping backsight and foresight distances approximately equal at each setup Correct answer.
  4. Observing only in the afternoon

Explanation

Balancing sight distances at each setup causes curvature and refraction to affect backsights and foresights equally, so the errors cancel in the elevation difference. Unequal or excessive sight distances allow these effects to accumulate. Time of day and ground selection do not balance the geometry.

Question 16Field Track

A crew is staking a proposed utility line in a residential area and encounters an unmarked buried fiber optic line. What is the appropriate field response?

  1. Excavate to confirm the line depth
  2. Continue staking and note the conflict afterward
  3. Reroute the stakeout without informing anyone
  4. Stop work in the area, notify the utility locator or owner, and document the encounter Correct answer.

Explanation

Encountering an unmarked or mismarked utility is a safety and liability issue that requires stopping work and notifying the appropriate utility or locating service. Documentation protects the crew and the project. Continuing, excavating without authorization, or quietly rerouting can cause damage or injury.

Question 17Field Track

Which element of a field survey is most directly verified by a field check of a closed traverse's angular misclosure against the allowable tolerance?

  1. The accuracy of the vertical control
  2. The quality of the angular observations Correct answer.
  3. The precision of the rod readings
  4. The correctness of the boundary deed

Explanation

Angular misclosure compares the sum of observed traverse angles with the geometrically required sum, so it measures the quality of the angle work. It does not test vertical control, deed interpretation, or rod readings. Exceeding the allowable tolerance indicates the angles need review or re-observation.

Question 18Field Track

A technician is asked to set a grade stake for a storm sewer invert at a specified elevation. Which field information is essential before the stake can be set?

  1. The name of the equipment operator
  2. A known benchmark elevation and the design invert elevation Correct answer.
  3. The pipe manufacturer's phone number
  4. The color of the marking paint

Explanation

Setting a grade stake requires a reference elevation from a benchmark and the design elevation for the invert so the cut or fill can be computed. These two values define the required grade. Manufacturer contacts, paint color, and operator names are irrelevant to the elevation computation.

Question 19Field Track

During a topographic survey, a technician must locate the edge of a paved road that curves sharply. Which field technique yields the most accurate representation of the curve?

  1. Estimating the curve radius in the office
  2. Collecting closely spaced shots along the edge at tangent and curve points Correct answer.
  3. Taking one shot at each end of the curve
  4. Recording only the road centerline

Explanation

Closely spaced shots at tangents, curve points, and intermediate locations allow the curve to be reconstructed accurately in the mapping software. Sparse endpoints or office estimates cannot capture the actual alignment. Centerline-only data omits the edge being located.

Question 20Field Track

Which statement best describes the role of a backsight in a differential leveling setup?

  1. It sets the azimuth of the leveling line
  2. It establishes the height of instrument from a point of known elevation Correct answer.
  3. It measures the vertical angle to the rod
  4. It determines the horizontal distance to the next station

Explanation

The backsight reading on a point of known elevation is added to that elevation to compute the height of instrument for the setup. Subsequent foresights are subtracted from the height of instrument to obtain new elevations. Horizontal distance, vertical angle, and azimuth are not established by the backsight.

Question 21Field Track

A crew's leveling run exceeds the specified allowable misclosure. Which action is most consistent with sound field practice?

  1. Apply a larger tolerance to the project
  2. Report the elevations without noting the misclosure
  3. Reduce the number of setups by taking longer sights
  4. Re-observe the run with attention to balanced sights, stable turning points, and careful readings Correct answer.

Explanation

When misclosure exceeds tolerance, the run must be repeated with improved technique such as balanced sight distances, stable turning points, and careful reading. Relaxing the tolerance or hiding the result violates specification and professional practice. Longer sights generally worsen error rather than improve it.

Question 22Field Track

In field notes, a technician records a side shot to a fire hydrant. How should this shot be treated in the leveling reduction compared with a turning point?

  1. It must be balanced against the backsight distance
  2. It is recorded for planimetric location but does not carry elevation forward Correct answer.
  3. It replaces the turning point for the next setup
  4. It is used to compute the height of instrument

Explanation

A side shot locates a detail feature and does not serve as the reference for continuing the leveling run. Only turning points carry the elevation forward to the next setup. Side shots are not used to compute instrument height or to substitute for turning points.

Question 23Field Track

Which field observation would most likely indicate that a found iron pin is the original boundary corner rather than a later-set replacement?

  1. A pin set at a convenient round-number offset
  2. A shiny new cap with no disturbance around it
  3. Consistent position with the deed distance and bearing plus undisturbed witness accessories Correct answer.
  4. A pin located by a metal detector alone

Explanation

Original corners are supported by positional agreement with the record and by undisturbed accessories such as bearing trees or witness marks. New appearance, convenient placement, or detection alone does not establish originality. Evidence of age and undisturbed context carries the most weight.

Question 24Field Track

A total station is set on a point with known coordinates, and a backsight is taken on a second known point. The computed distance between them does not match the measured distance. What does this most likely indicate?

  1. The backsight point should be moved to match the measurement
  2. The instrument is functioning correctly and the difference can be ignored
  3. A coordinate, point-identification, or instrument-setup error that should be resolved before stakeout Correct answer.
  4. The horizontal angle should be set to zero

Explanation

A mismatch between computed and measured control distance signals a problem with coordinates, point identity, or setup that must be resolved before layout proceeds. Ignoring it propagates error into every staked point. Moving control or zeroing the angle does not correct the underlying discrepancy.

Question 25Field Track

Which field procedure best supports accurate as-built documentation of a newly installed water main?

  1. Photographing the trench without locating the pipe
  2. Locating the main at fittings, valves, and changes in alignment and recording invert or burial depth Correct answer.
  3. Relying on the design drawings without field measurement
  4. Recording only the contractor's stated alignment

Explanation

As-built records must reflect the installed conditions, so the pipe is located at fittings, valves, and alignment changes with depths or inverts recorded. Contractor statements, photographs without positions, and design drawings do not document actual installation. Field measurement is what makes the record an as-built.

Question 26Field Track

A field crew is establishing a temporary benchmark near a construction site. Which field practice best ensures the mark can be reoccupied and trusted later in the project?

  1. Place the mark in the wheel path of the haul road so it stays visible
  2. Mark the point with flagging tied to a nearby stake and rely on the crew's memory
  3. Drive a hub flush with the ground so it will not be disturbed by equipment
  4. Set the mark on a stable, identifiable object, describe it fully, and tie it to at least two references Correct answer.

Explanation

A temporary benchmark is only useful if a later crew can find and identify it with certainty, so the mark must sit on stable material and carry a full written description plus ties to nearby references. Flush hubs, flagging alone, and marks in traffic areas are all easily lost or moved, which destroys the elevation datum for the job.

Question 27Field Track

During a leveling run, a technician notices the tripod is set on soft ground and the instrument settles slightly between setups. Which consequence should the technician expect in the notes?

  1. Random small errors that tend to cancel over many setups Correct answer.
  2. Elevations that drift consistently in one direction across the run
  3. A constant index error that affects every rod reading equally
  4. No effect, because leveling instruments self-compensate for settling

Explanation

Settling of the instrument between or during setups produces small, unpredictable errors rather than a single directional bias, so the effect behaves as random error that partly cancels over a long run. Systematic error would require a consistent physical cause such as a maladjusted line of sight or a rod zero error.

Question 28Field Track

A technician is recording a horizontal angle turned between a backsight and a foresight. Which set of field entries makes the angle independently checkable during reduction?

  1. The angle and the instrument serial number
  2. The circle reading at the backsight and at the foresight, plus the resulting angle Correct answer.
  3. Only the final angle to the nearest minute
  4. The distance to each point and the instrument height

Explanation

Recording both circle readings as well as the computed angle lets a reviewer re-subtract the readings and catch arithmetic or transcription mistakes. A single angle value or unrelated metadata provides no independent check on the turn.

Question 29Field Track

A crew is asked to locate an underground sanitary sewer line for a topographic survey. Which field approach gives the most reliable horizontal position and depth information?

  1. Potholing or locating manhole inverts and measuring pipe depth at exposed structures Correct answer.
  2. Assuming the pipe runs straight between manholes at a uniform slope
  3. Pacing the line between manholes and interpolating depth
  4. Locating only the manhole rims and reporting no depth data

Explanation

Reliable sewer locations come from physical evidence such as manhole inverts, exposed pipe, or potholed points, which give both horizontal position and invert elevation. Interpolation and assumptions about straight runs or uniform slope are estimates that can be badly wrong where the line changes alignment or grade.

Question 30Field Track

A rod is being read at a distance of about 120 m. Which field adjustment most reduces the effect of atmospheric refraction on the reading?

  1. Keeping the line of sight at least about 0.5 m above the ground Correct answer.
  2. Increasing the instrument height by raising the tripod
  3. Shortening the rod so the target is lower
  4. Reading the rod near the top of the scale

Explanation

Refraction bends the line of sight downward most strongly close to the ground, where the air is warmest and most turbulent, so keeping the sight line roughly half a meter or more above the surface reduces the effect. Raising the instrument while still sighting low on the rod does not fix the near-ground refraction.

Question 31Field Track

A technician must document the location of a large tree for a topographic map. Which field record best captures the feature for later mapping?

  1. A single side shot to the trunk center with a note on trunk diameter and canopy spread Correct answer.
  2. The bearing and distance from the instrument station only
  3. A sketch with no dimensions
  4. A verbal description given to the office at the end of the day

Explanation

A tree is mapped from a located trunk position plus attributes such as trunk diameter and canopy spread so the drafting staff can represent it at the correct scale. A single bearing and distance without a located station reference, or an undimensioned sketch, cannot be plotted reliably.

Question 32Field Track

A total station is set over a control point, but the tribrach optical plummet is out of adjustment. Which error is introduced into the survey?

  1. A constant error in every distance measured
  2. A vertical collimation error affecting zenith angles
  3. A centering error that rotates all measured directions about the true point Correct answer.
  4. A scale error in the electronic distance measurement

Explanation

A faulty optical plummet means the instrument axis is not truly over the mark, so every direction is measured from a slightly displaced point, producing an angular error that varies with the direction of each sight. Distance measurement, vertical angles, and EDM scale are unaffected by the centering offset.

Question 33Field Track

A crew is preparing to run a closed loop of differential leveling around a project boundary. Which preliminary step best protects the accuracy of the loop?

  1. Set up as many instruments as possible to finish quickly
  2. Take all foresights before any backsights
  3. Use the shortest possible sights regardless of balance
  4. Recover and check the starting benchmark, then plan setups of roughly equal sight lengths Correct answer.

Explanation

Confirming the starting elevation and planning balanced sight lengths controls the systematic errors that accumulate in a level loop, particularly curvature, refraction, and collimation. Speed, ordering of shots, and uniformly short sights do not substitute for balance and a verified datum.

Question 34Field Track

A technician is staking offset points for a proposed curb line where the actual curb will be constructed. Which field decision most directly determines whether the stakes can be used to build the curb in the right place?

  1. The number of stakes set per station
  2. The offset distance and its consistent reference side from the design line Correct answer.
  3. The color of the flagging used on each stake
  4. The type of marker used to write on the stake

Explanation

Offset stakes are only usable if the offset distance and the side of the design line are recorded consistently, because the construction crew adds or subtracts that offset to find the true line. Flagging color, stake count, and marker type are conveniences that do not define the geometry.

Question 35Field Track

A field crew is measuring a baseline with a steel tape on a calm day. Which combination of corrections is most relevant to the recorded distance?

  1. Collimation and transit height
  2. Barometric pressure and humidity
  3. Temperature, tension, and sag Correct answer.
  4. Refraction and curvature

Explanation

Tape measurement is affected by thermal expansion, applied tension differing from standard, and sag when the tape is unsupported, so these are the standard corrections applied to taped distances. Refraction, curvature, and collimation are leveling and instrument-axis concerns, and pressure and humidity do not enter tape correction.

Question 36Field Track

While reducing a set of differential leveling notes, a technician finds the arithmetic check does not close. Which step should be taken first?

  1. Re-add the backsight and foresight columns and recheck the elevation subtractions Correct answer.
  2. Discard the notes and rerun the entire line
  3. Average the discrepancy across all turning points
  4. Adjust the benchmark elevation to match the computed closing elevation

Explanation

When the arithmetic check fails, the first suspect is a reduction error, so the columns and subtractions should be rechecked before any field rerun or adjustment is considered. Changing the datum or smearing the discrepancy across turning points conceals error rather than finding it.

Question 37Field Track

A technician is asked to locate the invert of a storm drain manhole for a drainage survey. Which measurement is required in addition to the manhole rim elevation?

  1. The distance from the manhole to the nearest fire hydrant
  2. The bearing from the manhole to the nearest property corner
  3. The depth from the rim to the invert, or a direct rod reading to the invert Correct answer.
  4. The diameter of the manhole cover

Explanation

The invert elevation is found by measuring the vertical distance from a known rim elevation down to the invert, or by taking a direct reading to it. Cover diameter and nearby feature ties do not yield an invert elevation.

Question 38Field Track

A crew finds a concrete monument at a property corner that does not match the position called for in the recorded plat. Which field action is most appropriate?

  1. Leave the monument undisturbed, document its position and condition, and report the discrepancy Correct answer.
  2. Remove the monument and reset it at the plat position
  3. Reset the monument at a position halfway between the found and plat locations
  4. Ignore the monument because the plat controls

Explanation

Found monuments are physical evidence and must not be disturbed; the correct response is to record what exists, note its condition and relationship to the record position, and refer the conflict to the responsible surveyor. Moving or splitting the difference destroys evidence and is never a field decision.

Question 39Field Track

A technician is setting up a total station for a precise traverse and must level the instrument. Which procedure is correct?

  1. Level the instrument after the backsight is taken
  2. Level the instrument with the plate and circular levels, then check the optical plummet over the point Correct answer.
  3. Level using the plate levels only, then sight the backsight
  4. Rely on the compensator to correct any residual leveling error

Explanation

Proper setup levels the instrument with its plate and circular levels and then confirms the optical plummet is centered over the point, repeating as needed because leveling and centering interact. Leveling after sighting, or trusting the compensator for gross tilt, leaves the instrument miscentered or out of level.

Question 40Field Track

A crew must determine the elevation of a point that cannot be reached with a single leveling setup because a high embankment blocks the line of sight. Which field technique is appropriate?

  1. Assume the elevation from the nearest contour on a map
  2. Take a single side shot from the nearest setup
  3. Use a hand level to estimate the elevation drop
  4. Run a differential leveling line with turning points to carry the elevation over the obstruction Correct answer.

Explanation

When the sight line is blocked, the elevation is carried forward with additional setups using turning points, which is ordinary differential leveling. Map contours, hand levels, and single side shots are estimates or shortcuts that do not meet survey accuracy.

Question 41Field Track

A technician is collecting field data for a topographic survey near a building. Which practice best ensures that breaklines such as the top and bottom of a slope are captured?

  1. Locate points along the top and toe of the slope and along other grade breaks Correct answer.
  2. Shoot only the highest and lowest points of the site
  3. Shoot a dense grid of random points and let the software infer the breaklines
  4. Rely on aerial imagery to supply the breaklines

Explanation

Breaklines must be located in the field along grade breaks, because interpolation from scattered points or from imagery cannot reliably place a slope break. Random grids, extreme points only, and imagery all miss the actual geometry.

Question 42Field Track

A technician observes that the level bubble drifts slowly during a backsight reading on a warm day. Which action is most appropriate before recording the reading?

  1. Tap the tripod to settle the bubble and read
  2. Re-level the instrument and confirm the bubble is centered before reading Correct answer.
  3. Ignore the bubble because the compensator will correct it
  4. Record the reading immediately before the bubble drifts further

Explanation

A drifting bubble indicates the instrument is moving or settling, so the setup must be re-leveled and confirmed centered before any reading is taken. Reading early, tapping the tripod, or trusting the compensator leaves a real error in the notes.

Question 43Field Track

A crew is asked to provide field data for an as-built survey of a newly placed sanitary sewer main. Which set of observations best supports the as-built record?

  1. The pipe material and diameter only
  2. Invert elevations and horizontal positions at each manhole and at grade changes Correct answer.
  3. The contractor's opinion of the installed depth
  4. Rim elevations only at each manhole

Explanation

An as-built sewer record needs both horizontal position and invert elevation at structures and at points where the line changes grade, because those define the installed alignment and profile. Rims alone, material data alone, or verbal estimates do not document the constructed line.

Question 44Field Track

A technician is measuring a horizontal distance with an EDM total station. Which atmospheric input most affects the reported distance?

  1. Wind speed
  2. Relative humidity
  3. Barometric pressure and temperature Correct answer.
  4. Cloud cover

Explanation

EDM distance depends on the speed of light in air, which is governed mainly by air temperature and pressure, so those values must be entered or measured. Humidity has only a minor effect, and wind and cloud cover do not change the propagation velocity.

Question 45Field Track

A field crew is chaining a distance along a slope. Which field measurement is needed to reduce the slope distance to horizontal?

  1. The slope distance and the tape tension
  2. The slope distance and the vertical angle or elevation difference between the ends Correct answer.
  3. The slope distance only
  4. The slope distance and the tape temperature

Explanation

Reducing a slope distance to horizontal requires the vertical angle or the elevation difference between the endpoints in addition to the slope distance itself. Temperature and tension affect the tape's length but do not convert slope to horizontal.

Question 46Field Track

A technician is setting a grade stake for a proposed finished floor elevation. Which field information must the stake carry so the builder can set the grade?

  1. The bearing to the nearest property corner
  2. The design elevation and the cut or fill from the existing ground at the stake Correct answer.
  3. The instrument height and the backsight reading
  4. The elevation of the instrument station only

Explanation

A grade stake is useful when it states the design elevation and the cut or fill required at that location, so the builder can adjust from existing ground. Instrument data and property bearings do not tell the builder how much to cut or fill.

Question 47Field Track

During a boundary survey, a technician finds an old iron pipe at a corner that is severely rusted and bent. How should the field record treat this monument?

  1. Discard it because it is damaged
  2. Record it as a found monument with a description of its condition and its measured position Correct answer.
  3. Straighten it and record it as undisturbed
  4. Replace it with a new pin without documentation

Explanation

A found monument is evidence of the original corner and must be recorded as found, including its condition, so the responsible surveyor can evaluate its weight. Discarding, altering, or replacing it without documentation destroys the evidence.

Question 48Field Track

A crew is running a leveling line and must take a backsight on a benchmark that is 80 m away. Which consideration is most important for the accuracy of that backsight?

  1. The reading should be taken to the nearest 0.1 m
  2. The rod must be held plumb and the sight length kept comparable to the foresight lengths Correct answer.
  3. The instrument should be set as low as possible
  4. The rod should be waved slowly to find the minimum reading

Explanation

Long sights magnify rod plumbness error and the effects of curvature and refraction, so the rod must be held plumb and sight lengths kept balanced with the foresights. Waving the rod is a technique for finding plumb but does not replace balance, and coarse readings or a low instrument do not improve accuracy.

Question 49Field Track

A crew must record the location of a curb return at a street intersection for a topographic survey. Which field approach best captures the curved feature?

  1. Estimate the radius from the plan and record no field points
  2. Locate several points along the curve, including the tangent points Correct answer.
  3. Record only the intersection of the two street centerlines
  4. Shoot a single point at the midpoint of the curve

Explanation

A curve must be located by enough points along its arc, including the tangent points where it meets the straight sections, so it can be drawn correctly. A single midpoint, centerline intersection, or plan estimate does not define the actual constructed curve.

Question 50Field Track

A technician is reducing field notes and finds that a side shot to a utility box was recorded without an instrument height entry for that setup. What is the correct treatment of the side shot?

  1. Use the backsight elevation as the utility box elevation
  2. Assume a standard instrument height of 1.5 m
  3. Flag the shot as unverified and resolve the instrument height before using the elevation Correct answer.
  4. Delete the shot and omit the feature from the map

Explanation

An elevation cannot be computed without the instrument height, so the shot must be flagged and the missing value resolved from the setup record before the elevation is used. Assuming a standard height or substituting the backsight elevation invents data.