Module 4

Question 1

Recognize and identify the three major land description systems

Answer 1

Metes and Bounds
Rectangular Government Survey System
Lot and Block System aka Recorded Plat

Question 2

Identify measurements used in the rectangular survey system

Answer 2

Principal Meridians
Baselines
Township lines
Range Lines
Township

Question 3

Metes and Bounds

Answer 3

1. Begins at a designated POB Point of beginning Boundary courses must produce a closed area
2. Monuments (natural or manmade) may be used to establish boundary
3. Metes are the measurements that include direction and distance bounds are the terminal points the include landmarks or
   monuments

*Primarily used in states that comprise the original 13 colonies as well as Texas.
(see page 346)

Question 4

Rectangular Government Survey System

Answer 4

• Divides the land into a system of rectangles that can be identified based on their location linked to longitude and latitude lines referred to as principal meridian and baselines
• There are 35 principal meridians in the US. From each meridian and baseline, township lines (east ->west) and range lines (north -> south) were created at 6 mile intervals.
• Creating a grid with 6 miles squares called townships
• principal method for land description west of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers

Question 5

Principal Meridians

Answer 5

run north and sounth (latitude lines)

Question 6

Baselines

Answer 6

run east and west (longitude lines)

Question 7

Township lines

Answer 7

Lines that run east and west at six-mile intervals above and below a baseline. They form the north and south boundries of townships.

Question 8

Range Lines

Answer 8

Lines that extend due north and south at six-mile intervals and are numbered east or west from the principal meridian. They form the east and west boundaries of a township

Question 9

Township

Answer 9

the area between two township lines and two range lines; normally contains 36 sections of approximately 640 acres of each. Located by how many rows it is from the base line and how many columns it is from the principal meridian.

Question 10

Range

Answer 10

Vertical column of townships

Question 11

Tier

Answer 11

Horizontal row of townships also known as township tier

Question 12

Section

Answer 12

one of the 36 sections, each approximately one mile square, into which each township is divided
Section Description Size
1 Section 640 Acres
½ Section 320 Acres
¼ Section 160 Acres
¼ of ¼ Section 40 Acres
¼ of ¼ of ¼ Section 10 Acres
¼ of ¼ of ¼ of ¼ Section 2.5 Acres

Question 13

How many acres in a section

Answer 13

640 Acres

Question 14

How many square feet in one acre?

Answer 14

43,560

Question 15

How many linear feet in a mile?

Answer 15

5,280

Question 16

Lot and block system

Answer 16

A system for the legal description of land that refers to parcels’ lot and
block numbers, which appear on recorded maps and plats of subdivided
land; may also be used for assessment maps
Used all over the country

Question 17

How many acres are in a township’s section? 
A) 160 acres 
B) 640 acres
C) 80 acres 
D) 23,040 acres

Answer 17

B) 640 acres

Feedback: Correct. See page 57 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Rectangular (Government) Survey System. A township is 1 mile square, but each section is 640 areas.

Question 18

A land parcel located in Section 14 measures 660 feet by 330 feet. How many acres does this parcel have? 
A) 5 acres
B) 20 acres 
C) 640 acres 
D) 10 acres

Answer 18

A) 5 acres

Feedback: Correct. See page 57 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Rectangular (Government) Survey System. 660 feet by 330 feet equals 217,800 square feet. That amount divided by 43,560 square feet will equal 5 acres.

Question 19

Using the Rectangular Survey Method, the SE 1/4 of Section 10 contains how many acres?
A) 40 acres
B) 80 acres 
C) 640 acres 
D) 160 acres

Answer 19

D) 160 acres

Feedback: Correct. See page 57 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Rectangular (Government) Survey System. A section has 640 acres. Therefore, one quarter of that would be 160 acres.

Question 20

What term best identifies a fixed object used to establish real estate boundaries in the Metes and Bounds System? A) Point of Beginning
B) Baseline
C) Monument
D) Meridian

Answer 20

C) Monument

Feedback: Correct. See page 53 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Metes and Bounds. A monument is a stone or other fixed object used to establish real estate boundaries.

Question 21

What method of legal description is most frequently used west of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers? 
A) Metes and bounds 
B) Lot and block 
C) Rectangular survey
D) Recorded plat

Answer 21

C) Rectangular survey

Feedback: Correct. See page 55 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Rectangular (Government) Survey System. The rectangular survey became the principal method of land description for most land lying west of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers.

Question 22

Why is an appraiser’s understanding of legal descriptions important to the valuation process?
A) All of the listed answers are correct
B) Ensure that the correct property is identified in the appraisal valuation.
C) Identification of FEMA flood zones that may impact the valuation of the property.
D) Ensure that the size and shape are correctly analyzed for valuation purposes.

Answer 22

A) All of the listed answers are correct

Feedback: Correct. See page 51 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Lot and Block System & Other Methods. There are mutiple reasons why appraiser’s must know how to work with legal descriptions. We discussed this in relation to flood zones and ensuring the correct parcel is appraised and ascertaining its size and shape.

Question 23

When an appraiser reads a rectangular survey description, what is the best method to begin the process?
A) Start with the directional description located at the end and work progressively to the beginning of the description
B) Start with the first directional description and work progressively to the last description
C) The order in which you read the description is irrelevant
D) Start with descriptions that include “N” and work progressively to descriptions that include “S”

Answer 23

A) Start with the directional description located at the end and work progressively to the beginning of the description

Feedback: Correct. See page 59 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Rectangular (Government) Survey System. The last component of the description is where the appraiser must begin and then the reading progresses through each directional component back to the beginning.

Question 24

Survey lines that run east and west at six-mile intervals and are located either north or south of a baseline may be best identified as what type of lines? 
A) Township lines
B) Range lines 
C) Section lines 
D) Principal meridians

Answer 24

A) Township lines

Feedback: Correct. See page 55 of your Course Handbook and the online content under the heading of Rectangular (Government) Survey System. These set the north and south boundaries of townships