Question 1

In civil and surveying practice, which specific drawing or mapped document is created to show property lines, lot boundaries, dimensions, and related information used to calculate areas and locate building projects and facilities?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Land development, permitting, and construction layout rely on accurate legal and geometric descriptions of parcels. The drawing that formally records lot divisions, boundaries, easements, and related survey data is foundational to planning and design. Given Data / Assumptions: We need a mapped document that shows property lines and supports area calculations. The drawing must help locate building projects and facilities with respect to legal boundaries. We distinguish among traverse notes, contours, general city maps, and plats. Concept / Approach: A plat (or plat map) is a legal map drawn to scale that documents subdivisions, lot lines, public ways, easements, and other boundary information. Plats are recorded to establish ownership delineation and form the basis for calculating lot areas and siting structures within setbacks and zoning constraints. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the need: legal boundary representation and area computation.Recognize that plats, not general-purpose maps, carry this legal boundary detail.Note that plat maps are used during design to position buildings, utilities, and improvements correctly.Select “Plat” as the correct choice. Verification / Alternative check: Surveying practice distinguishes field traverse data (measurements and bearings) from the finalized recorded plat. Contour or city maps lack the legal precision for property lines required for permitting and deeds. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Traverse: refers to a sequence of measured lines used during surveying; it is raw or intermediate data, not the finalized legal map. Contour: shows equal elevations, useful for grading but not for legal property delineation. City map: gives broad geographic context but typically does not establish legal parcel boundaries. Common Pitfalls: Confusing topographic maps with plats. While both are to scale, only the plat establishes legal boundary descriptions needed for deeds and permits. Final Answer: Plat

Question 2

On a topographic or engineering map, what do the drawn lines that connect points of equal ground elevation represent? Choose the correct term for these elevation-reference lines shown in plan view.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Site design, drainage analysis, and grading plans depend on understanding ground shape. Maps use specific linework to express how elevation changes across the landscape in plan view, enabling quick visualization of slopes, ridges, and depressions. Given Data / Assumptions: We are viewing a plan (overhead) map. Lines connect points that share the same elevation value. We must name those lines correctly. Concept / Approach: Contour lines (or contours) are continuous lines on a map joining locations of equal elevation relative to a datum. Evenly spaced contours indicate uniform slopes; closely spaced ones indicate steep terrain; widely spaced ones indicate gentle slopes. Index contours are labeled to help read elevations quickly. Step-by-Step Solution: Recognize the definition: lines of equal elevation.Match to the standard cartographic term: “contours.”Use contour intervals (e.g., 0.5 m, 1 m, 2 m) to compute grade and cut/fill.Conclude that the correct answer is “Contours.” Verification / Alternative check: Civil engineering references emphasize contours for preliminary design, earthwork estimation, and hydrologic analysis. Profiles and cross-sections are derived from contours to study elevation changes along a path. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Elevations: scalar values at single points, not the lines connecting equal values. Profiles: vertical sections along a chosen baseline (e.g., road centerline), not plan-view elevation lines. Hatchures: unrelated term here; hachures are an older shading method to represent relief, not equal-elevation lines. Common Pitfalls: Misreading closed contour loops that indicate hills (higher inside) or depressions (lower inside, sometimes marked with ticks). Always check labeled index contours. Final Answer: Contours

Question 3

Which category of maps is specifically used for planning the installation and arrangement of trees, shrubs, walkways, drives, and other garden or site-amenity features? Identify the most appropriate mapping type for landscape layout.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Site development involves multiple disciplines. While civil engineers focus on grading, drainage, and utilities, landscape designers plan living and hardscape elements such as planting beds, trees, pavements, and site furnishings. The correct map type communicates these features clearly to contractors and clients. Given Data / Assumptions: The question targets trees, shrubbery, drives, and garden features. We must select the map type that typically contains planting schedules, surface materials, and layout details for site amenities. Other map types (engineering, topographic, cadastral) serve different primary purposes. Concept / Approach: Landscape maps (often part of a broader landscape plan set) depict planting zones, species, sizes, spacing, and hardscape elements. They may be overlaid on topographic base drawings to ensure the design fits site grades and constraints but are distinct in purpose from cadastral (ownership) or purely engineering-focused plans. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the content focus: planting and amenity layout.Match this to “Landscape maps,” which present exactly these features.Recognize that engineering and topographic maps may be used as bases but do not primarily specify plantings and garden features.Select “Landscape maps.” Verification / Alternative check: Typical landscape plan sets include planting plans, hardscape layout, lighting, and irrigation drawings—collectively considered landscape mapping of the site development. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Engineering maps: focus on utilities, structures, and civil works rather than planting specifics. Topographic maps: emphasize elevation contours and terrain form. Cadastral maps: record property and parcel boundaries, not planting layouts. Common Pitfalls: Assuming a topographic map by itself captures landscape design intent; it provides the base terrain but not the planting plan. Final Answer: Landscape maps

Question 4

What is the standard name for accurately drawn maps of cities or towns that show parcels, lot boundaries, and other features controlling property ownership and land tenure? Select the mapping category used for recording legal property lines.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Land administration relies on official records of who owns which piece of land. Maps that document parcel extents, rights, and easements are essential for taxation, conveyance, and planning. These maps must be accurate, standardized, and recognized by governing authorities. Given Data / Assumptions: The map shows property lines and ownership-related detail. We are dealing with city or town contexts. The goal is to identify the formal mapping type for property ownership control. Concept / Approach: Cadastral maps form the core of land tenure systems. They depict parcel boundaries, lot numbers, rights-of-way, and easements. While they may overlay or reference city base maps, their legal function distinguishes them from general-purpose city maps or topographic maps. Monuments and coordinates often underpin the cadastre for precise location control. Step-by-Step Solution: Focus on property ownership and legal boundaries.Recognize that “cadastre” refers to the register of property showing details of ownership and value.Identify such maps as “Cadastral maps.”Confirm they are used for deeds, taxation, and planning approvals. Verification / Alternative check: Planning and surveying standards define cadastral mapping as the official representation of land parcels and rights. City maps alone are not inherently legal ownership records, and topographic maps emphasize terrain, not tenure. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Monument maps: monuments are reference marks used in surveying; a “monument map” is not the standard term for ownership mapping. City maps: general cartography of streets and landmarks, not parcel ownership. Topographic maps: show elevation and terrain features, not legal boundaries as primary content. Common Pitfalls: Assuming any municipal map is cadastral. Only those prepared and maintained as part of the cadastre reflect legal parcel definitions. Final Answer: Cadastral maps

Question 5

In surveying and mapping, what term denotes vertical distances measured above a common datum, reference plane, or benchmark point? Choose the correct word used for the height value itself.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Projects in civil, architectural, and landscape design reference heights to a common datum so all participants use consistent vertical control. The term used for a point’s vertical distance above such a datum is fundamental vocabulary in plans and specifications. Given Data / Assumptions: A vertical distance is being measured. The reference is a common datum, such as mean sea level or a project benchmark. We must name the quantity itself, not the drawing type. Concept / Approach: An elevation is the vertical distance of a point above (or below) a specified reference plane or benchmark. Elevations allow designers to coordinate floor levels, road grades, drainage, and structural heights. They appear on topographic maps, profiles, sections, and plan callouts. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the quantity: vertical distance relative to a datum.Match this to the standard term: “elevation.”Recognize that elevations feed into contours, profiles, and grading computations.Select “Elevations.” Verification / Alternative check: Survey field books list elevations for control points, which are then used to generate contour maps and longitudinal profiles of roads, pipelines, or channels. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Plats: legal parcel maps, not height values. Traverse: a method of sequential surveying measurements, not a vertical value. Profiles: drawings showing elevation variation along a line, but not the scalar value name itself. Common Pitfalls: Confusing an “elevation view” (an orthographic exterior view in architecture) with the numerical elevation value. Context clarifies meaning. Final Answer: Elevations

Question 6

In land surveying, what do we call the special, durable installations—often of stone or concrete—that permanently mark the exact locations of control points determined by precise survey work? Select the standard term for these permanent reference po…

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Boundary and control points must be recoverable years after a survey. To ensure permanence and legal reliability, surveyors set durable physical markers at key coordinates. Knowing the correct terminology for these installations is essential for interpreting plats and conducting resurvey work. Given Data / Assumptions: The installation is durable (stone, concrete, metal) and intended to be permanent. It marks a precisely determined location used for property or control. We require the standard surveying term for such markers. Concept / Approach: Survey monuments are permanent markers that identify specific survey points—corners, benchmarks, or control stations. They may include caps with identification, elevations, or coordinate data. Their permanence supports legal boundary retracement and geodetic control. Step-by-Step Solution: Recognize the purpose: to mark a precise survey point permanently.Match the description to the surveying term “monuments.”Understand that monuments underpin cadastral records and construction layout.Select “Monuments.” Verification / Alternative check: Standards and statutes in many jurisdictions define how monuments are set, described, and documented to maintain the cadastre and geodetic networks. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Topographic marks: not a standard term; topographic mapping uses benchmarks and spot elevations, but the generic “marks” is imprecise. Hatchures: refers to drawing shading lines, not survey markers. Pillars: a physical structure type, but not the surveying term; some geodetic stations use pillars, yet the correct generic term remains “monument.” Common Pitfalls: Assuming any stake is a monument. Temporary stakes guide construction but lack the permanence and legal status of a monument. Final Answer: Monuments

Question 7

Contours in landform drawings: A “contour interval” is defined in surveying/cartography. Is it the vertical difference in elevation between successive contours, or the horizontal distance between them?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Understanding contour terminology is fundamental to reading landform drawings, topographic maps, and civil site plans. This item distinguishes the contour interval from planimetric spacing on the sheet, which varies with terrain steepness and map scale. Given Data / Assumptions: Contours are lines connecting points of equal elevation. Successive contours are adjacent lines representing elevations separated by a fixed step. The map has a stated contour interval in units (e.g., 1 m, 5 ft). Concept / Approach: The contour interval is defined as a constant vertical increment in elevation between adjacent contour lines. Horizontal spacing on the paper is not fixed; it tightens in steep terrain and spreads out on gentle slopes. Therefore, any definition tying the interval to horizontal distance is incorrect. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the map’s note: “Contour interval = X units.”Interpret: Elevation increases or decreases by X units when crossing from one contour to the next.Conclude: The interval is vertical, not horizontal distance on the sheet. Verification / Alternative check: On a hillside, the physical horizontal distance between contours changes with slope. If interval were horizontal, it would be constant on the sheet, which it is not. The constant dimension is elevation step, not plan distance. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Horizontal distance (option A) confuses spacing with interval. Slope percent (option C) is derived, not the definition. Map scale (option D) relates drawing to real-world distances, not elevation steps. Azimuth change (option E) concerns direction, not elevation. Common Pitfalls: Assuming equal spacing of contours on paper equals equal ground distance; forgetting that closely spaced contours indicate steep slopes. Final Answer: Correct: it is the vertical elevation difference between successive contours

Question 8

Engineering maps: These maps are typically created for specific projects to aid site location, planning, and construction activities. Assess this statement.

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Engineering maps support the lifecycle of infrastructure and site development: feasibility, design, permitting, construction, and maintenance. They differ from general-purpose topographic maps by focusing on features relevant to engineering decisions and construction logistics. Given Data / Assumptions: Use cases include roads, utilities, drainage, buildings, and earthworks. Accuracy and currentness are critical for staking and inspection. Content often integrates survey control, elevations, and legal boundaries. Concept / Approach: Engineering maps emphasize practical information: benchmarks, coordinate systems, contour intervals, property lines, easements, right-of-way limits, utility routes, and construction phases. They aid location selection, grading design, and field execution by contractors and inspectors. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify project scope and mapping needs (topography, parcels, utilities).Compile survey data into base mapping with correct datums and scales.Use maps during design reviews and for construction staking and as-builts. Verification / Alternative check: Review any civil project bid set; you will find plan/profile sheets and key maps explicitly created for that project’s location and construction details, confirming the statement. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Recreational use (option B) is outside the primary engineering purpose. Artwork without measurements (option C) is not suitable for engineering. Nautical charts (option D) serve marine navigation, not land projects. Limiting to interior architecture (option E) is too narrow—civil and site projects dominate. Common Pitfalls: Using outdated base maps; mixing datums and coordinate references; omitting utility markouts leading to conflicts in the field. Final Answer: Correct: project-specific maps supporting location and construction

Question 9

Nautical charts versus aeronautical charts: Do nautical maps/charts primarily present prominent landmarks for air navigators, or are they intended for marine navigation features?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Map types are specialized. Nautical charts and aeronautical charts serve different users and depict different features. This question clarifies that nautical charts are intended for vessels navigating waterways, coasts, and oceans, not aircraft. Given Data / Assumptions: Nautical charts include data critical to safe marine travel. Aeronautical charts support aircraft routing and airspace compliance. “Prominent landmarks” for pilots appear on visual flight rules (VFR) aeronautical charts, not nautical charts. Concept / Approach: Nautical charts show depths, soundings, shoreline features, buoys, lights, currents, hazards, and aids to navigation like beacons and ranges. Aeronautical charts show airports, controlled airspace classes, radio navigation aids, obstacles, minimum safe altitudes, and visual checkpoints. Conflating them leads to misuse and safety risks. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the end user: mariner vs. pilot.Check the depicted information: depths and nautical aids indicate a nautical chart.Conclude: Nautical charts are not intended for air navigation. Verification / Alternative check: Compare a coastal nautical chart with a VFR sectional aeronautical chart for the same region; the symbology and data types are clearly different and audience-specific. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Claiming primary use for air navigators (option B) is incorrect. Road atlases (option C) focus on highways and distances. Cadastral plats (option D) show parcels and boundaries. Geological maps (option E) depict rock units and structures, not navigation. Common Pitfalls: Assuming “landmarks” on any map serve pilots; overlooking that nautical chart “landmarks” are aids for fixing a vessel’s position from sea, not from air. Final Answer: Incorrect: nautical charts are for marine navigation, not air navigation

Question 10

Elevation drawings and terrain representation: Does an elevation drawing necessarily consist of a series of intersecting straight lines of precisely measured lengths, or can it include curves and profiles derived from contours?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Elevation drawings (or vertical profiles) are used in architecture, civil engineering, and mapping to show façade geometry or ground elevations along a baseline. The statement that an elevation drawing is “a series of intersecting straight lines of measured lengths” is misleading and overly restrictive. Given Data / Assumptions: Elevation views can depict buildings (architectural elevations) or terrain profiles (civil profiles). Contours and surveyed points inform the vertical geometry. Real-world surfaces are not limited to straight segments. Concept / Approach: An elevation or profile may include straight segments, curves, and irregular lines that reflect actual surface changes. In terrain profiles, ground lines are often smooth or piecewise-curved. In façades, lines meet at corners, but glazing, arches, or decorative features introduce curves. Therefore, the definition cannot be limited to “intersecting straight lines.” Step-by-Step Solution: Determine drawing purpose (building façade vs. ground profile).Use surveyed elevations or model geometry to plot points.Connect points appropriately (straight or curved) to represent true shapes. Verification / Alternative check: Compare a roadway profile drawing: vertical curves (parabolic) are common and essential for comfort and sight distance—clearly not just intersecting straight lines. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Only straight lines (option B) ignores curves and complex forms. Only arcs (option C) is equally incorrect. Cadastral plats (option D) and text-only documents (option E) are unrelated to elevation geometry. Common Pitfalls: Confusing plan, elevation, and profile; believing drafting tools constrain geometry types; forgetting vertical curves in roadway and rail design. Final Answer: Incorrect: elevation drawings may include profiles and curves, not only intersecting straight lines

Question 11

Property of a single contour line: On any one contour line shown on a landform drawing, do all points share the same elevation value?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Contours are fundamental to reading terrain in engineering drawings and topographic maps. Recognizing that a contour is an isoline of constant elevation enables quick interpretation of slopes, ridges, and depressions. Given Data / Assumptions: A contour line is defined as the locus of points of equal elevation. Contours are drawn at a fixed contour interval (e.g., 1 m, 5 ft). Map drafting adheres to standard cartographic conventions. Concept / Approach: Because each contour corresponds to one specific elevation, any movement along that line keeps elevation constant. The spacing between contours communicates slope steepness: close spacing means steep slopes; wide spacing means gentle slopes. Special symbols indicate depressions or closed highs. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify contour labels on the map (e.g., 100 m, 105 m).Trace any single contour; all points on it share the labeled elevation.Use spacing between adjacent contours to infer slope. Verification / Alternative check: Check labeled index contours (heavier lines). Every unlabeled intermediate contour between two indices inherits a specific elevation according to the fixed interval; equality holds along each individual line. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Variation along the same contour (option B) contradicts the definition. Scale dependency (option C) is irrelevant; the property is definitional. Dependence on slope angle (option D) is incorrect. Map projection (option E) affects planimetric geometry, not the equality of elevation on one contour. Common Pitfalls: Misreading adjacent contours as a single line; overlooking depression hachures that indicate lower elevation inside a closed loop. Final Answer: Correct: every point on one contour has the same elevation

Question 12

Topography versus cartography: Is “topography” the same as the science/art of map making, or does that term properly belong to “cartography” while topography concerns terrain features and relief?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Precise terminology helps avoid confusion when reading technical drawings and maps. This item differentiates two commonly conflated fields: cartography and topography. Given Data / Assumptions: “Cartography” addresses methods and practice of map production. “Topography” addresses the features and relief of a place (natural and artificial). Both terms may appear in engineering and planning contexts. Concept / Approach: Cartography includes map design, projections, symbology, and data compilation. Topography refers to the configuration of the Earth’s surface—hills, valleys, rivers, and man-made features—and the depiction of relief (often via contours, shading, or grids). A cartographer makes the map; topographic content is one subject that the map can show. Step-by-Step Solution: Define cartography: the craft and science of making maps.Define topography: the description and representation of surface features and relief.Conclude: The statement equating topography with map making is incorrect. Verification / Alternative check: Consult engineering texts: “topographic map” is a map type whose creation is a cartographic act. The subject (topography) and the craft (cartography) are distinct. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Calling topography “map making” (option B) mislabels the disciplines. Political boundaries only (option C) describes political maps. Underwater only (option D) would be bathymetry, not general topography. Legal interchangeability (option E) does not exist; they are distinct concepts. Common Pitfalls: Using “topographic” to mean any map; forgetting that topography includes human-made features like roads and structures as well as natural relief. Final Answer: Incorrect: cartography is map making; topography describes terrain and relief

Question 13

Elevation reference datum: In civil/landform drawings and mapping practice, are elevations commonly referenced to Mean Sea Level (MSL) or an equivalent vertical datum?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Elevations must be comparable across time and projects. Standard practice is to reference vertical measurements to Mean Sea Level (MSL) or an officially defined vertical datum (e.g., NAVD 88), ensuring consistency across surveys and drawings. Given Data / Assumptions: Projects require consistent elevation references for design and construction. Survey control networks provide benchmarks tied to vertical datums. Notation on drawings typically declares the vertical datum used. Concept / Approach: Using MSL or a recognized vertical datum allows elevations from different surveys to align. Local temporary benchmarks can be used, but they are established from, and documented relative to, the official datum to preserve traceability. This enables accurate grading, drainage design, and flood assessments. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the drawing note specifying the vertical datum (e.g., “Vertical datum NAVD 88”).Verify benchmarks and their elevations relative to that datum.Use these references for all design elevations and construction staking. Verification / Alternative check: Comparing two surveys on the same site: if both reference the same datum, elevations match; if not, a datum shift must be applied to reconcile them, demonstrating why common datum usage is standard practice. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Random local references (option B) undermine comparability. Scale dependency (option C) is irrelevant. Limiting to coastal projects (option D) is incorrect; inland work also uses vertical datums. Claiming no datum is used (option E) contradicts engineering standards. Common Pitfalls: Ignoring the vertical datum note; mixing datums without applying shifts; assuming “MSL” generically without specifying the exact datum realization. Final Answer: Correct: elevations are commonly tied to MSL or an official vertical datum

Question 14

Plat maps (cadastral drawings): Does a plat typically include elevations, or is it primarily limited to property boundaries, lots, easements, and legal descriptions without topographic elevation data?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Plats are legal/cadastral documents used to record property subdivisions, lot lines, rights-of-way, and easements. Understanding what information appears on a plat prevents confusion between cadastral drawings and topographic surveys used for design. Given Data / Assumptions: Plat = legal boundary map for recording purposes. Topographic survey = map with elevations and natural/man-made features. Engineering drawings often require both, but they serve different roles. Concept / Approach: A plat usually shows bearings, distances, curve data for boundaries, monuments, lot numbers, and easements, plus certifications and approval blocks. Elevation contours and spot elevations are generally absent; when elevation information is needed, a separate topographic or site survey is prepared and referenced. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify document type: if labeled “Plat” or “Subdivision Plat,” expect legal geometry.Look for boundary bearings/distances and monuments, not contours.Obtain a separate topo survey for design elevations if required. Verification / Alternative check: Review a county recorder’s plat: it will show lots and rights-of-way, approval stamps, and legal descriptions, with no contour interval or elevation datum—confirming the typical content. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Claiming plats routinely provide contours (option B) mismatches standard practice. Nautical charts (option C) and architectural elevations (option D) are different document types. Geological cross-sections (option E) serve subsurface analysis, not parcel definition. Common Pitfalls: Using a plat as if it were a topo; assuming lot lines on a topo equal a recorded plat; ignoring title and legend that specify the drawing purpose. Final Answer: Incorrect: plats generally do not include elevation contours; they focus on legal boundaries

Question 15

Differential leveling in surveying: Is differential leveling the process of using a level instrument and telescope (plus staff/rod readings) to determine differences in elevation between points?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Differential leveling is a core technique in surveying to establish elevations of points relative to a datum. It underpins engineering design for grading, drainage, road profiles, and construction staking. Given Data / Assumptions: A level instrument (optical/digital) and a leveling rod are available. A benchmark with known elevation relative to a vertical datum is accessible. Line of sight is established between instrument and rod positions. Concept / Approach: The method obtains a backsight (BS) reading on a known point to establish a height of instrument (HI), then takes foresight (FS) readings on unknown points. Differences in elevation are computed as BS − FS, chaining through multiple setups if needed. Results reference a common datum for consistency. Step-by-Step Solution: Set up the level, take BS on a benchmark of known elevation E_BM.Compute HI = E_BM + BS.Take FS on the new point: E_new = HI − FS.Repeat with intermediate turning points when distances require instrument relocation. Verification / Alternative check: Perform a level loop returning to the original benchmark. The closure error should be within allowable limits; apply adjustments if necessary. This independent check confirms the accuracy of differential leveling. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Bearings only (option B) describes horizontal angle measurement, not leveling. GPS post-processing (option C) is a different technique (GNSS leveling). Shading contours (option D) is a drafting/visualization task. Legal descriptions (option E) pertain to deeds and plats, not elevation measurement. Common Pitfalls: Misreading the rod; poor instrument leveling; ignoring curvature/refraction over long sights; failing to close and check error budgets. Final Answer: Correct: it uses a level and telescope to find elevation differences

Question 16

Surveying fundamentals: Is the bearing of a line defined as its horizontal angle measured from magnetic south, or is it referenced from a different directional meridian?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Bearing is a core concept in land surveying and mapping. It specifies the direction of a line relative to a reference meridian so field crews, designers, and GIS professionals can communicate orientation unambiguously. This item checks whether the reference is magnetic south or the standard surveying meridians. Given Data / Assumptions: Bearing is a horizontal angle used for line direction in surveying. Common meridians are true (geodetic) north, magnetic north, or grid north of a mapped projection. Survey texts define quadrant bearings from north or south toward east or west, but the zero reference is north–south lines, not specifically magnetic south. Concept / Approach: In practice, a bearing is measured from a north–south reference. Azimuths are measured clockwise from north 0–360 degrees. Quadrant bearings are noted as N or S first, followed by an angle less than 90 degrees, then E or W (for example, N 35° E). The meridian used (true, grid, or magnetic) must be specified, but it is not exclusively magnetic south. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify the reference meridian: true north, grid north, or magnetic north.Recognize that quadrant bearings originate from a north or south line but are not defined as “from magnetic south” by default.Conclude the statement is incorrect because it singles out magnetic south as the definition.Note that declination/variation must be applied if magnetic references are used. Verification / Alternative check: Check any standard surveying handbook: bearings are tied to a specified meridian, typically true or grid north; magnetic references are possible but must be stated and are not limited to “from magnetic south.” Why Other Options Are Wrong: Correct: Would wrongly assert the definition.Depends only on map scale: Scale does not set the meridian reference.Only true for cadastral surveys: Cadastral practice also uses true or grid north as standards. Common Pitfalls: Confusing bearings (quadrant format) with azimuths (0–360 from north); assuming magnetic is always the reference; ignoring local declination when using magnetic readings. Final Answer: Incorrect

Question 17

Topographic depiction: Hachures (hatchures) are short, parallel or slightly diverging strokes drawn downslope to show the direction and steepness of terrain. Is this description accurate?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Hachures were one of the earliest methods to represent relief on maps before contour lines became universal. Understanding them helps interpret historical maps and certain sketch mapping practices where quick slope visualization is needed. Given Data / Assumptions: A hachure is a short stroke indicating slope direction. Line density/length suggests steepness (denser/longer implies steeper slopes). They are a cartographic convention, not a cadastral or boundary symbol. Concept / Approach: Hachures align with fall line directions (downslope). Their spacing and thickness communicate qualitative slope. While modern maps favor contour lines and shaded relief, hachures remain a legitimate technique and appear in field sketches and older topographic sheets. Step-by-Step Solution: Identify slope direction in the field or from contours (highest to lowest elevation).Draw short strokes oriented downslope; closer spacing conveys a steeper grade.Avoid using hachures for property or administrative boundaries.Complement with spot elevations if quantitative data are needed. Verification / Alternative check: Compare a hachured sketch with a contoured map of the same terrain; the hachure orientation should match the aspect indicated by the contour V-shapes and gradient. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Incorrect: Conflicts with established cartographic definitions.Used only on hydrographic charts / property limits: Hachures are for relief, not exclusively for water charts or boundaries. Common Pitfalls: Drawing hachures upslope; mixing them with line types for roads or fences; overusing them where contours or shading would be clearer. Final Answer: Correct

Question 18

Highway design workflow: Before starting highway construction, engineers must plan both horizontal alignment (plan view) and vertical alignment (profile/grades). Is this standard practice?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Highway projects require careful alignment design to ensure safety, capacity, drainage, earthwork balance, and cost control. Alignments are fundamental inputs for right-of-way, structures, and construction staking. Given Data / Assumptions: Horizontal alignment specifies tangents and curves in plan. Vertical alignment defines grades and vertical curves in profile. Design must meet standards for sight distance, superelevation, and drainage. Concept / Approach: The standard road design process develops a coordinated pair of alignments. The horizontal plan affects curvature and superelevation, while the vertical profile affects grades, crest/sag curves, and earthwork. Iterative design ensures both alignments satisfy criteria simultaneously. Step-by-Step Solution: Lay preliminary horizontal route optimizing terrain, land use, and constraints.Create a vertical profile meeting grade limits and sight-distance requirements.Iterate to balance cut/fill and coordinate drainage and structures.Finalize for staking, cross-sections, and construction documents. Verification / Alternative check: Check a typical plan set: you will find plan and profile sheets, cross-sections, and alignment tables confirming both alignments are always planned. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Incorrect / Only one alignment is planned: Neglecting either alignment violates standard practice and design codes. Common Pitfalls: Designing horizontal curves without matching vertical sight distances; ignoring drainage implications of long sags or crests; failing to iterate earthwork balance. Final Answer: Correct

Question 19

Survey control durability: Are monuments that mark surveying control points generally intended to be temporary rather than permanent?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Survey monuments (benchmarks, boundary markers, control points) provide the physical basis for coordinate and elevation control across projects and jurisdictions. Their permanence underpins legal boundaries and engineering works. Given Data / Assumptions: Monuments may be set as concrete posts, bronze disks, rebar with caps, or other durable markers. They reference datums and coordinate systems used for mapping and construction. Loss or movement of a monument can cause costly boundary disputes or construction errors. Concept / Approach: Because control must be revisited over years or decades, monuments are designed to be stable and long-lasting. Agencies maintain permanent networks (e.g., geodetic control, leveling benchmarks). Temporary stakes are used during construction, but these are not monuments in the formal sense. Step-by-Step Solution: Differentiate permanent monuments (legal/control) from temporary stakes or hubs used for layout.Note materials and setting methods that ensure durability and positional stability.Conclude that formal monuments are intended to be permanent, making the statement false.Document monument metadata (coordinates, datum, description) for future recovery. Verification / Alternative check: Consult cadastral standards: monuments are explicitly specified to be permanent and recoverable with detailed ties and descriptions. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Correct: Would contradict legal and engineering practice.Only for highway benchmarks / soil dependent: Permanence is a design intent, independent of project type; installation accounts for soil conditions. Common Pitfalls: Confusing layout stakes with monuments; failing to reference or protect monuments during construction. Final Answer: Incorrect

Question 20

Cadastral terminology: Is a “plat” a map of a relatively small tract that is plotted from a land survey, typically showing lots, boundaries, and easements?

Accepted Answer

Introduction / Context: Plats are central documents in land development, subdivision, and property conveyance. They depict surveyed parcels, rights-of-way, and easements at a scale suitable for legal recording and construction planning. Given Data / Assumptions: A plat is derived from field survey data. It covers a limited area (subdivision, parcel, or block). It includes bearings, distances, curve data, monuments, and notes. Concept / Approach: Unlike small-scale topographic maps, plats are large-scale legal depictions. They must match recorded deeds and include certifications, titles, legend, and approvals. The intent is precise property delineation, not generalized cartography. Step-by-Step Solution: Collect boundary and control data in the field.Compute and draft the parcel geometry with bearings and distances.Show monuments, easements, rights-of-way, and notes.Finalize with signatures and recordation per local regulations. Verification / Alternative check: Review a recorded subdivision plat at a county office: it will show exact metes-and-bounds and surveyors’ certifications, confirming the definition. Why Other Options Are Wrong: Incorrect: Opposes standard land surveying definitions.Hydrographic / federal only: Plats apply broadly to private and public lands as required. Common Pitfalls: Using small-scale base maps for legal description; omitting curve data; mismatching deed calls and survey geometry. Final Answer: Correct

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