Question 1

Which of the following equations are used to compute latitudes and departures of traverses?
I. latitude = cos bearing x length of course
II. departure = sin bearing x length of course
III. tan bearing = latitude/departure
A)I, II
B)I, III
C)II, III
D)None of the above.

Accepted Answer

The following equations are used to compute latitudes and departures of traverses:
• latitude = cos bearing x length of course
• departure = sin bearing x length of course
The correct formula for tan bearing is: tan bearing = departure/latitude

Question 2

The term "total station" is used to describe:
A)An electronic distance measurement device that measures distances and angles.
B)A location on a route or line where a moving vehicle may stop for fuel, drop off goods or passengers, or purchase caffeinated beverages.
C)Sections along a route or line that are 100 feet in length.
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

The term "total station" is used to describe an electronic distance measurement (EDM) device that measures horizontal and vertical angles and distances. EDM instruments include a laser emitter that is mounted on the device and a prism that is mounted on a rod. The change in wavelength between a beam of light emitted from the instrument and the reflected beam from the rod is used to determine horizontal and vertical distance measurements.

Question 3

The magnetic declination at a point was measured as 07°25' in 1925 and 14°50' in 2010. If line DE had a magnetic bearing of N45°25'E in 2010, what was the magnetic bearing of the line in 1925?
A)N38°00'E
B)N45°25'E
C)N52°50'E
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

If line DE had a magnetic bearing of N45°25'E in 2010, the magnetic bearing of the line in 1925 was N38°00'E.
Solution
1. Determine the angle between magnetic north in 1925 and 2010
? = 14°50' - 07°25' = 07°25' to the east
2. Subtract angle from 2010 magnetic bearing to determine 1925 magnetic bearing
Magnetic bearing (1925) = N45°25'E - 07°25' = N38°00'E

Question 4

Which of the following statements best describes that is meant by the term "balancing a survey"?
A)Correcting all angles to fit the traverse.
B)Adjusting the fieldwork to correspond to the geometric values.
C)Making all sights equal in length.
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

The term "balancing a survey" means adjusting the fieldwork to correspond to the geometric values. To balance the angles of a traverse, the angular error of closure is equally distributed to all traverse angles. Methods to balance angles include the Compass Rule, Transit Rule and Crandall Rule.

Question 5

When slope staking, upon which of the following is the position of a stake dependent?
A)Elevation of the ground and base
B)Width of the base
C)Slope of the sides
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

When slope staking, the position of a stake is dependent on all of the factors listed. Slope stakes are placed to indicate where the edge of a cut or the toe of a fill is to be located after earthwork is completed (limits of earthwork). Each stake is marked with a station number, horizontal distance to the right or left of the centerline, and the vertical distance from the ground at the stake to the elevation of the bottom of cut or top of fill.

Question 6

What is the relative accuracy (in nearest 100 ft) of a given traverse of 50,000 ft that failed to close by 0.25 ft in the northing and 0.50 ft in the easting.
A)1:89,400
B)1:118,422
C)1:118,400
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

the relative accuracy (in nearest 100 ft) of a given traverse of 50,000 ft that failed to close by 0.25 ft in the northing and 0.50 ft in the easting is 1:89,400. Solution 1. Use the closing error formula e = [?L 2 +?D 2 ] ½ Where L = latitude = northing = 0.5 ft D = departure = easting = 0.25 ft e = [(.5) 2 +(.25)2] ½ = 0.559 2. Use the accuracy ratio formula. Accuracy = radial error of closure/total length of the traverse Accuracy = 0.559 / 50000 = 1:89,443

Question 7

Relative Positional Accuracy is best determined by least squares adjustment of a survey using GPS data for which of the following reasons?
A)Errors are distributed following laws of random probability.
B)It is the only adjustment method able to handle complex networks.
C)The sum of squared residuals is minimized.
D)All of the above

Accepted Answer

Relative Positional Accuracy is best determined by least squares adjustment of a survey using GPS data for all of the stated reasons. The best results that can be obtained by any another adjustment method are equal to the results of a least squares adjustment. However, the validity of the results of a least square adjustment assumes that the instruments used were properly calibrated, field procedures undertaken were appropriate, blunders and systematic errors were removed or minimized, and the remaining inaccuracies were due to random errors.

Question 8

Resectioning is a process undertaken to accomplish which of the following?
A)Determine where survey stakes are to be set
B)Close a traverse
C)Locate a single point by measuring horizontal angles from the point to three visible stations with known positions
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

Resectioning is a process undertaken to locate a single point by measuring horizontal angles from the point to three visible stations with known positions. Resectioning is often called the "three-point problem," a special case of simple triangulation. This process is a useful technique for quickly fixing the best position required for setting-out purposes.

Question 9

What is the radius of a 9.25° roadway curve in ft?
A)5729.7 ft
B)619.41 ft
C)309.71 ft
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

The radius of a 9.25° roadway curve is 619.41 ft.
Solution
Use the equation
R = 5729.58 ft / D
Where D = 9.25°
R = 5729.58 / 9.25 = 619.41ft

Question 10

For a given traverse, the sum of latitudes was found to be 1.89 and the departures of the sides were calculated to be -1.17. What is the closing error of the given traverse?
A)1.491 ft
B)2.223 ft
C)3.060 ft
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

The closing error of the given traverse is 2.223 ft. Solution Use the closing error formula e = [?L 2 +?D 2 ] ½ Where L = latitude = 1.89 D = departure = -1.17 E = [(1.89) 2 +(-1.17) 2 ] ½ = [3.572 +1.369] ½ = 2.223ft

Question 11

What is the elevation of the point of vertical tangency for an equal-tangent sag vertical curve with the following given information? G 1 = -4%, G 2 = +2%, L= 400ft, PVCSta = 100+00, PVCElev = 100.00 ft A)96 ft B)104 ft C)128 ft D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

the elevation of the point of vertical tangency for an equal-tangent sag vertical curve is 96 ft. Solution Use the general parabolic formula for a vertical curve. y = ax 2 + bx + c Where a = (G 2 - G 1 )/2 = (0.02 -(-0.04))/2(400) = 0.00008 x = curve length = L = 400 ft b = G 1 = 0.04 c = PVC elevation = 100 ft y = 0.00008 (400) 2 + (-0.04)(400) + 100 = 12 - 16 + 100 = 96 ft.

Question 12

What is the length of the arc for the given curve?
Radius 270.00
Tangent in N 15°15' E
Tangent out N 20°15' E
A)2.354 ft
B)23.54 ft
C)235.40 ft
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

The length of the arc for the given curve is 23.54 ft.
Solution
Use the horizontal circular curve formula
L = R x r (expressed in radians)
Where L = length of arc
R = radius = 270.00
r = central angle
1. Convert angle from degrees into radians
Angle in radians = (angle in degrees) x ?/180
= (20.25 - 15.25) ?/180 = 0.0872 radians
2. Determine length of arc
L = 270.00 (0.0872) = 23.54 ft

Question 13

What is the maximum elevation difference accuracy standard required by National Geodetic Survey (NGS) for first order, class I geodetic leveling?
A)0.5
B)1.0
C)2.0
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

the maximum elevation difference accuracy standard required by National Geodetic Survey for first order, class I geodetic leveling is 0.5. The elevation distance accuracy is the relative elevation error between a pair of control points that is scaled by the square root of the horizontal point separation traced along existing level routes. All NGS standards and requirements for leveling are available at the website http://www.ngs.noaa.gov.

Question 14

Why is a correction factor applied to roadway earthwork volume calculations when the alignment includes a horizontal curve?
A)To account for soil shrinkage or swell
B)To account for the eccentricity of the curved area
C)Answers A and B
D)None of the above

Accepted Answer

A correction factor is applied to roadway earthwork volume calculations when the alignment includes a horizontal curve to account for the eccentricity of the curved area.
A correction factor to compensate for soil shrinkage is applied to volume calculations to represent the volume of material in a "natural state" that is required to fill compacted roadway embankments. Additionally, a swell compensation factor may be required if rock or large stones are transferred from their natural state to a constructed embankment.

Question 15

Of the following, which is the approximate optimal length for a transitional spiral curve when using a 2,500 ft circular curve and a design speed of 65 mph?
A)50 ft
B)100 ft
C)175 ft
D)200 ft

Accepted Answer

The approximate optimal length for a transitional spiral curve when using a 2,500 ft circular curve and a design speed of 65 mph is 175 ft. Solution Use the transitional spiral curve formula: L = 1.6 (design speed) 3 / radius of the circular curve Where design speed = 65 mph radius of circular curve = 2,500 ft L = 1.6 (65 mph) 3 / 2500 ft = 176 ft (use 175 ft)

Quiz 7: Plane Survey Calculation

Which of the following equations are used to compute latitudes and departures of traverses? I. latitude = cos bearing x length of course II. departure = sin bearing x length of course III. tan bearing = latitude/departure

The term "total station" is used to describe:

The magnetic declination at a point was measured as 07°25' in 1925 and 14°50' in 2010. If line DE had a magnetic bearing of N45°25'E in 2010, what was the magnetic bearing of the line in 1925?

Which of the following statements best describes that is meant by the term "balancing a survey"?

When slope staking, upon which of the following is the position of a stake dependent?

What is the relative accuracy (in nearest 100 ft) of a given traverse of 50,000 ft that failed to close by 0.25 ft in the northing and 0.50 ft in the easting.

Relative Positional Accuracy is best determined by least squares adjustment of a survey using GPS data for which of the following reasons?

Resectioning is a process undertaken to accomplish which of the following?

What is the radius of a 9.25° roadway curve in ft?

For a given traverse, the sum of latitudes was found to be 1.89 and the departures of the sides were calculated to be -1.17. What is the closing error of the given traverse?

What is the elevation of the point of vertical tangency for an equal-tangent sag vertical curve with the following given information? G< Sub> 1< /sub> = -4%, G< Sub> 2< /sub> = +2%, L= 400ft, PVCSta = 100+00, PVCElev = 100.00 ft

What is the length of the arc for the given curve? Radius 270.00 Tangent in N 15°15' E Tangent out N 20°15' E

What is the maximum elevation difference accuracy standard required by National Geodetic Survey (NGS) for first order, class I geodetic leveling?

Why is a correction factor applied to roadway earthwork volume calculations when the alignment includes a horizontal curve?

Of the following, which is the approximate optimal length for a transitional spiral curve when using a 2,500 ft circular curve and a design speed of 65 mph?