Chapter Nine - Legal Descriptions

Question 1

What is the principal purpose underlying legal descriptions of real property?

a. To create a consistent, unchanging standard for locating the property.
b. To eliminate all possible boundary disputes.
c. To comply with federal laws.
d. To eliminate cumbersome metes and bounds descriptions.

Answer 1

a. To create a consistent, unchanging standard for locating the property.

Question 2

Which of the following is a distinctive feature of metes and bounds descriptions?

a. They use meridians and base lines.
b. They identify an enclosed area, beginning and ending at the same point.
c. They use lot and block numbers.as the street address.
d. They incorporate elevation into the descriptions.

Answer 2

b. They identify an enclosed area, beginning and ending at the same point.

Question 3

A certain legal description contains the phrase,”…southeasterly along Happ Road to the stone landmark…” What kind of description is this?

a. Plat survey plat of survey is
b. Government grid
c. Metes and bounds
d. Rectangular survey

Answer 3

c. Metes and bounds

Question 4

The abbreviation POB stands for

a. point of beginning.
b. point of bounds.
c. plat of boundary.
d. perimeters of boundaries

Answer 4

a. point of beginning.

Question 5

What are the approximate dimensions of a township in the rectangular survey system?

a. Thirty-six miles on a side
b. Twenty-five square miles.
c. Depends on the state.
d. Six miles by six miles

Answer 5

Six miles by six miles

Question 6

The area running north and south between meridians
is a
a. range.
b. township.
c. strip.
d. tier.

Answer 6

a. range.

Question 7

The area running east and west between base lines is a

a. range.
b. tier.
c. parameter.
d. parallel.

Answer 7

b. tier.

Question 8

How many sections are there in a township?

a. One
b. Six
c. Twelve
d. Thirty-six

Answer 8

d. Thirty-six

Question 9

A section contains how many acres?

a. 640
b. 320
c. 160
d. 40

Answer 9

a. 640

Question 10

How many acres are there in the S 1/2 of the NW ¼ of Section 3?

a. 20 acres
b. 40 acres
c. 80 acres
d. 160 acres

Answer 10

c. 80 acres

Question 11

If a parcel does not have a lot and block number and is too irregular to be described as a fraction of a section, the legal description

a. is the street address.
b. will include a metes and bounds description.
c. will use an estimate of the sectional fraction.
d. will create a special reference number.

Answer 11

b. will include a metes and bounds description.

Question 12

The legal description of a parcel in a subdivision that has been recorded with lot and block numbers on a plat of survey is

a. the lot and block number, with section, township and meridian references.
b. the standard rectangular survey description.
c. the subdivision plat map.
d. the lot and block number.

Answer 12

a. the lot and block number, with section, township and meridian references.

Question 13

A datum is a reference point used for legal descriptions of

a. agricultural and ranch properties.
b. properties that straddle state boundaries.
c. properties located above or below the earth’s surface.
d. irregularly-shaped properties.

Answer 13

c. properties located above or below the earth’s surface.