Chapter 10 - Legal Descriptions

Question 1

What is the purpose of a legal description?

Answer 1

To describe a particular piece of property in a way that uniquely identifies that parcel from any other parcel; is so specific that given only the legal description, a surveyor can locate and identify a given parcel

Question 2

What is a patent?

Answer 2

The original deed; a certificate issued by the federal or a state government that transfers land to a private individual

Question 3

What is the metes-and-bounds description?

Answer 3

The oldest type of survey method; metes refers to distance, bounds refers to direction; begins at an exact starting point (point of beginning)

Question 4

What is the government survey system?

Answer 4

When the federal government decides to open an area for settlement, it commissions a survey for that entire area

Question 5

What is the principal meridian and base line?

Answer 5

A beginning reference established in the center of the territory to be surveyed
Principal meridian is the intersection of a north-south line
Base line is the intersection of an east/west line

Question 6

What are range lines?

Answer 6

Vertical (north south) lines parallel to the principal meridian every six miles

Question 7

What are township lines?

Answer 7

Horizontal (east west) lines parallel to the base line every six miles

Question 8

What is township?

Answer 8

The six mile squares formed by the crossing of range lines and township lines

Question 9

What are sections?

Answer 9

Each township is divided into 36 sections; each section is one square mile or 640 acres

Question 10

What are lot and block numbers?

Answer 10

Most common type of legal description used for single-family dwellings located in developed subdivisions
Can only be used where plat maps have been recorded in the public records
The platted subdivision is divided into large areas called blocks, and each block is subdivided into smaller areas called lots

Question 11

The NW1/4 of the NE1/4 of the SW1/4, Section 20, Township 4 South, Range 2 East, describes a tract of:

Answer 11

10 acres

Question 12

In the metes-and-bounds method of description:

Answer 12

Metes refers to distance and bounds refers to direction

Question 13

The government survey system is especially adapted to describing:

Answer 13

Land in concise symbols and words

Question 14

The tract of land located inside a square formed by intersecting range lines and township lines is called a:

Answer 14

Township

Question 15

Which statement is false concerning townships?

Answer 15

A township contains 36 acres

Question 16

What statements are true concerning townships?

Answer 16

A township contains 36 sections, 36 square miles

Question 17

Dean owned the NW1/4 of a section. He sold the W1/2 of that NW1/4. How many acres does Dean still own?

Answer 17

80 acres

Question 18

What is the starting point called in a metes and bounds description?

Answer 18

POB

Question 19

A lot that measured 330’ x 198’ sold for $30,000. What was the cost per acre?

Answer 19

$20,000
330’ x 198’ = 65,340
65,340 / 43,560 (amount of square feet in 1 acre) = 1.5 acres
$30,000 / 1.5 = $20,000

Question 20

How many acres are there in a 1/8 mile squared?

Answer 20

10 acres

640 / 8 = 80 / 8 = 10

Question 21

Beginning at the SE corner of the intersection of Olive and 270; thence south 350 feet; thence west 350 feet; thence north 400 feet; thence east 400 feet. Is this an adequate legal description?

Answer 21

No; all legal descriptions must return to the POB

Question 22

The description that follows contains how many acres? “The NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 20.”

Answer 22

40 acres

640 / 4 = 160 / 4 = 40

Question 23

Objects used by surveyors in legal descriptions are:

Answer 23

Monuments

Question 24

Which of the following would never be included as part of a legal description?

Answer 24

Street address

Question 25

Because of the curvature of the earth, it is necessary to compensate for the changes in the lines through the use of:

Answer 25

Correction lines