Unit 10

Question 1

The way to determine the identity of a property is called a:

Answer 1

legal description

Question 2

A legal description identifies a property’s:

Answer 2

location, measurements, and all necessary location information to identify a plot of land

Question 3

A legal description, as a form of identification, is used on:

Answer 3

legal papers like contracts, deeds and title insurance policies for a particular property.

Question 4

Legal description would be executed using one of the three methods. In some cases a combination of methods is used. The basic methods are:

Answer 4

Metes and bounds
Rectangular Government survey
Lot and Block number on a plat map

Question 5

The oldest of all the measuring systems used in the United States. It relies on monuments and point of beginning. It includes compass readings in degrees, minutes and seconds. Surveyors use specific equipment to measure the direction and angles.

Answer 5

metes and bounds system

Question 6

refers to distance while bounds refers to a direction

Answer 6

metes

Question 7

In metes, a surveyor begins at a starting point called the :

Answer 7

point of beginning (POB)

Question 8

How does the survey begin and end?

Answer 8

A surveyor begins at a starting point called the point of beginning (POB). The measurements are done in a 360° reading of the compass with north being both 0° and 360°. The survey ends at the place it started- the Point of Beginning or POB. Monuments, are used to establish this point of beginning, but are considered least reliable since monuments sometimes disappear.

Question 9

fixed objects or physical things

Answer 9

monuments

Question 10

Give examples of Monuments.

Answer 10

The Old Dutch Mill, the Stone Fence, the stately old pine

Question 11

used to describe the direction of boundary lines using a circle (360 degrees).

Answer 11

Compass directions

Question 12

used to indicate a change in direction

Answer 12

thence

Question 13

The numbers in degrees are _____________ , based on a 360° circle.

Answer 13

compass headings

Question 14

The system is arranged in a series of grids with lines going north and south and other lines going east and west. Principal Meridians run North and South and Base lines run East and West.

Answer 14

Rectangular Government Survey

Question 15

In the Rectangular Government Survey, there are ______ sets of principal meridians in the United States.

Answer 15

36

Question 16

In the Rectangular Government Survey, to correct for the curvature of the earth, guide meridians are drawn every _______ miles east and west of the principal meridians and offset the principal meridian by 50 feet m/l.

Answer 16

24

Question 17

In the Rectangular Government Survey, correction lines running east and west are located every _____ miles north and south more or less of the base line.

Answer 17

24

Question 18

Each 24x24 square created by these guide meridians and correction lines is called a:

Answer 18

check

Question 19

In the Rectangular Government Survey, Florida’s measurement begins in __________ where the Tallahassee Principal Meridian runs North and South. The Tallahassee baseline runs East and West.

Answer 19

Tallahassee

Question 20

The Principle Meridian runs:

Answer 20

North and South

Question 21

The baseline runs:

Answer 21

East and West

Question 22

lines drawn north and south; east and west are called:

Answer 22

range lines

Question 23

__________ run north and south linearly (a vertical line) and are numbered consecutively from the east and the west with Range 1E being on the east of the Tallahassee Principal Meridian and R1W being on the West side of the Principal Meridian.

Answer 23

Ranges

Question 24

__________ run east and west linearly (a horizontal line).

Answer 24

Township lines

Question 25

Range lines and township lines are drawn off the correction lines and guide meridians and are _____ miles apart.

Answer 25

six

Question 26

____________ are numbered north and south with township 1 north and township 1 south located immediately above and below the baseline and number consecutively north and south

Answer 26

Townships

Question 27

Within the joining of a township and range line, a Township is formed by the forming of a _______ tier.

Answer 27

N/S E/W

Question 28

How is a township formed?

Answer 28

A township is 36 square miles.
A township is then divided into 36 sections.
Sections are numbered from front upper right to left and across a township in a back and forth movement. Each section is one mile square and contains 640 acres. Each acre contains 43,560 square feet. Within these sections are also corrections for the earth’s shape.

Question 29

The section is the basis for a ____________.

Answer 29

legal description

Question 30

Suppose you want to buy 1/4 of a section. What would the legal description read and what would the amount of land be?

Answer 30

SW1/4 of Section 28. The amount of land would be 1/4 of 640 acres= 160 acres.

Question 31

Irregularly shaped parcels of land, usually fronting on water, which could not be divided practically into sections under the government survey system. They represent areas which would not be divided practically using the method above and may be supplemented with a “metes and bounds” description.

Answer 31

Fractional Government Lotts

Question 32

This system utilizes a map referred to as a plat map. The Plat Map is laid out with a complete legal description by section, number, etc.

Answer 32

lot and block system

Question 33

How is the Plat Map laid out?

Answer 33

The Plat Map is laid out with a complete legal description by section, number, etc. However, once the plat has a complete legal description, smaller areas in the plat are referred to as “subdivision A”. Each lot within that subdivision refers to the lot and block where the property is located. An example would be Lot 12, Block 6, Quiet Village Subdivision, Jacksonville, FL.
Each plat is recorded in the county where the property is located so that anyone wishing to find the full legal description can refer to that plat.

Question 34

To aid in the assessment of property for tax collection, each piece (parcel) of land is given a _____________.

Answer 34

Parcel Number

Question 35

The tax maps indicating these parcel numbers are based on: L

Answer 35

the recorded plat maps as well as other land recorded in the county.

Question 36

Every property has a parcel number. Associated with it is:

Answer 36

the owner’s name and address of record; the assessed value of the land and structures are also recorded so that the county will know how much land accompanies each parcel. This determines the amount of tax money available to each taxing entity.

Question 37

To speed up the surveying process, surveyors use a short cut known as:

Answer 37

bench marks.

Question 38

A permanent brass plate, placed in the ground and it notates the feet above sea level at that location. The surveyor can then start here in order to determine elevation (feet above sea level.)

Answer 38

bench mark

Question 39

The level plain which is used by the bench mark to determine elevation and from which surveyors measuring begins.

Answer 39

Datum

Question 40

To determine the acreage within a section, calculate:

Answer 40

The number by multiplying the denominators (lower number) of the fractions in a legal description and divide that number into 640 acres in a section of land.

Question 41

How would you determine the acreage within E 1/2 of the NW1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the SW1/4 of Sec. 36?

Answer 41

Solution is 2x4x4x4 = 128 640/128 = 5 acres

Question 42

What is an alternate method to find the total acres in a section?

Answer 42

(640) and multiply it by ½ (or .5), then by ¼ (or .25), then ¼ (.25) then by ¼ (.25)
Solution: 640 x .5 = 320 X .25 =80 x .25 = 20 x.25 = 5 acres

Question 43

When calculating total acreage, more than one portion of a section may be used. i.e. the NW ¼ of the SW ¼ of the NE ¼ and the NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of the SW ½ of section ____, Township ___ Range ___
This requires an extra step as the term “AND” refers to:

Answer 43

the addition of another area and makes a large difference in finding your total acreage.

So. . . 4 X 4 X 4 =64; 640/64 = 10 acres and 4 X 4 X 2 = 32; 640/32 = 20 acres

Question 44

Formulas to Remember
Area is always expressed in:
Area of a rectangle is Area = ___________
Area of a triangle is Area = ____________
Volume is always expressed in:
Volume of a rectangle is Volume = ____________
Volume of a triangular prism is Volume = _____________

Answer 44

Formulas to Remember
Area is always expressed in square feet or square yards
Area of a rectangle is Area = length x width
Area of a triangle is Area = 1/2 base x height
Volume is always expressed in cubic feet or cubic yards
Volume of a rectangle is Volume = length x width x depth
Volume of a triangular prism is Volume = 1/2 base x height x depth

Question 45

Important Measurements
1 mile = \_\_\_\_\_\_ feet
1 square yard = \_\_\_\_ square feet
1 cubic yard = \_\_\_\_ cubic feet
1 square mile = \_\_\_\_ acres
1 acre = \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ square feet.

Answer 45

Important Measurements
1 mile = 5,280 feet
1 square yard = 9 square feet
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
1 square mile = 640 acres
1 acre = 43,560 square feet.

Question 46

How many acres are in a piece of property measuring 620’ x 430’?

Answer 46

Answer is 6.12 acres. The problem asks for the area in acres; 620’ x 430’ = 266,600 square feet. Divide the square footage of the area given by the amount of square feet in an acre 43,560.
266,600/43,560 = 6.12

Question 47

A lot contained 600 square yards and had a frontage of 40 feet. If the lot was rectangular in shape, what would be the length of the lot measure?

Answer 47

First, convert square yards into square feet 600 x 9 = 5400 square feet.
Area = length x width so if area is known then the formula becomes area ÷ width = length or 5400 ÷ 40 = 135 feet.

Question 48

How many acres of land are there in the S 1/2 of the N 1/2 of the SW 1/4?

Answer 48

Take 2x2x4=16. Divide 640 by 16= 40 acres.