Problem Set No.

1: INTRODUCTION TO SURVEYING

NOTE: Upon completion of the different lessons listed under this part of your course study, you will be required to
solve all the problems given in this set. The problems may be solved with books, notes, and other references opened.
You may consult your instructors, classmates, and others whom you feel could help you better understand and solve
the problems. You should, however, refrain from copying previously prepared solutions since this will only defeat
the purpose and objectives of this requirement. Although no time limit is specified to solve each problem, all
solutions and answers must, however, be submitted during the scheduled examination date for the same group of
lesson modules. All solutions must be done on short size bond paper and write on one side only.

1. LINEAR MEASUREMENT. The measured length of airport runways in five major cities in the Philippines are:
1250.00, 1375.50, 1410.75, 1550.25, and 1750.00 meters. Determine the equivalent length of each runway in
kilometers, decimeters and centimeters. Tabulate values accordingly.

2. AREA MEASUREMENTS. Given the dimensions of the following tracts of land:

a) 108.75 m by 76.82 m
b) 940.08 m by 1296.73 m
c) 13.36 m by 50.08 m
d) 1258.30 m by 624.03 m
e) 8476.55 m by 121.79 m
Determine the area of each tract in square meters, square kilometers, ares and hectares.
3. AREA MEASUREMENTS. Given the area and width of the following rectangular-shaped pieces of property:
a) 2.575 ha and 195.42 m
b) 125.42 sq. and 545.0 cm
c) 0.85 sq. km and 925.09 m
d) 50.0 ares and 100.0 m
e) 42545.19 sq. m and 346.72 m
Determine the length of each property in meters.

4. VOLUME MEASUREMENTS. Following are the dimensions for length, width and depth of five excavated borrow
pits for a highway project:
a) 113.26 m, 35.48 m, and 18.60 m
b) 50.08 m, 39.25 m, and 7.14 m
c) 243.55 m, 76.19 m and 24.66 m
d) 42.055 m, 8.605 m, and 12.332 m
e) 9.5 m, 6.3 m, and 4.9 m
Determine the volume of each pit in cubic meters.
5. VOLUME MEASUREMENTS. Given the approximate flat area and depth of excavation of the following borrow pits:
a) 3750.0 sq. m and 758.0 cm
b) 0.035 sq. km and 180.0 m
c) 15.6 ares and 495.0 m
d) 9.250 ha and 250.0 m
e) 46750 sq. m and 195.0 m
Determine the volume of earth removed from each pit in cubic meters.

6. SIGNIFICANT FIGURES. Given the following numbers: 45.63, 5.700, 4010, 0.00037, 0.000940, 6.0090, 7.00,
9.5x108, 4.00x107, 2.604x1018, and 3.00x10-6. For each number, identify the significant figures and state the number
of significant figures. Tabulate values accordingly.

7. ROUNDING OFF NUMBERS. Given the following numbers: 0.333333, 0.412342, 50.2155, 48.5455, and 16.3545.
Round off each number to three, four and five figures. Tabulate values accordingly.
8. MOST PROBABLE VALUE. The three angles of a triangle were measured with the following results: A=42°05’,
B=115°38’ and C=22°08’. Determine the most probable value of each angle.

9. MOST PROBABLE VALUE. The angles about a point have the following observed values: 87°07’50”, 125°17’20”
and 147°35’20”. Determine the most probable value of the three angles.

10. MOST PROBABLE VALUE. The interior angles of a quadrilateral were observed to be: A=100°35’40”,
B=118°44’15”, C=80°54’35” and D=59°45’50”. Determine the most probable value of each of these angles.
11. PROBABALE ERROR. A quantity was measured ten times with the following results: 34.630, 34.626, 34.634,
34.628, 34.629, 34.626, 34.627, 34.633, 34.625 and 34.624 meters. Determine the probable error of the mean and
the relative precision of the mean.

12. PROBABALE ERROR. A surveying instructor sent all the 40 students in his class out to measure a distance between
two points marked on a runway. The students working in groups of four came up with 10 different measurements
as follows: 920.45, 921.05, 921.65, 920.25, 920.15, 921.85, 921.95, 920.45, 921.15 and 921.35 meters. Assuming
these values are equally reliable and that variations result only from accidental errors, determine the relative
precision of a single measurement and the relative precision of the mean.
13. PROBABALE ERROR. The following values were determined in a series of rod readings made under identical
conditions: 3.312, 3.307, 3.304, 3.306, 3.309, 3.301, 3.311, 3.308, 3.312, 3.306 and 3.313 meters. Determine the
following: most probable value of the observed rod readings, probable error of a single measurement and of the
mean, and the relative precision of a single measurement and of the mean.

14. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. A line is measured on a windy day as 338.65. The same line measured 338.37 m
on a calm day. If the latter measurement is given four times the reliability of the first, determine the most probable
value of the measured line.

15. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. A distance AB is measured five times as 610.03, 610.01, 610.05, 610.04 and 610.02
meters. The measurements were given weights of 3, 2, 1, 2 and 3, respectively, by the head tapeman. Determine
the weighted mean for distance AB. Also, determine what difference results if later judgment revises the weights to
2, 3, 1, 3 and 2.
16. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. An angle ABC is measured at different times using various instruments and
procedures. The results, which are assigned certain weights, are as follows: 75°09’26”, weight of 4; 75°09’25”, weight
of 3; and 75°09’27”, weight of 1. Determine the most probable value of the angle measured.

17. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. In this problem, the weight of an angle is assumed to be proportional to the
number of times it has been measured by repetition. Five angles in a pentagon were measured with the following
results: 134°44’35”, 167°02’05”, 86°15’20”, 75°48’50” and 76°08’50”. If the number of repetitions for each
measurement were 2, 6, 6, 8 and 4, respectively, determine the adjusted values of the angles.

18. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. Two sides and the included angle of a triangle were measured and the probable
error of each value were computed as follows: a=267.55 m ± 0.05 m, b= 564.75 m ± 0.06 m, and angle C= 57°15’45”.
Determine the area of the triangle and the probable error of the area.
19. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. Three sides of the triangle were measured with the following results: a=1431.20
m ± 0.02 m, b= 570.77 m ± 0.03 m and c=1767.15 m ± 0.04 m. Determine the angles in the triangle together with the
probable errors of the angles.

20. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. A line AE is divided into segments for measurement with a tape. The results were
AB=134.10 m ± 0.040 m, BC=320.63 m ± 0.055, CD=173.73 m ± 0.056 m and DE=160.85 m ± 0.050 m. Determine the
length of the line and the probable error of the measured length.
21. WEIGTHED MEASUREMENTS. The difference in elevation between two ground points was measured by each of
three field parties using different kinds of leveling instruments. The results are as follows: 1st Party, DE=18.45 m ±
0.05 m; 2nd Party, DE=18.40 m ± 0.04 m; 3rd Party, DE=18.48 m ± 0.05 m. Determine the most probable difference
in elevation between the two ground points.

22. SUMMATION OF ERRORS. The four approximately equal sides of a tract of land were measured and the
measurements included the following errors: ± 0.085 m, ± 0.014 m, ± 0.175 m, and ± 0.205 m, respectively.
Determine the probable error for the total length (or perimeter) of the tract.

23. SUMMATION OF ERRORS. The dimensions of a five-sided tract of land are given by the following measurements
and corresponding probable errors: 221.63 m ± 0.004 m, 235.70 m ± 0.002 m, 196.05 m ± 0.005 m, 296.13 m ± 0.012
m, and 303.18 m ± 0.015 m. Determine the probable error of the sum of the five measurements and the most
probable value of the perimeter.
24. PRODUCT OF ERRORS. Two sides of rectangle were measured as being 226.25 m ± 0.03 m and 307. 28 m ± 0.04
m. Determine the area of the figure and the probable error of the area.

25. PRODUCT OF ERRORS. The base and altitude of triangular shaped figure were measured with certain estimated
probable errors as follows: b=425.67 m ± 0.07 m and h=138.63 m ± 0.06 m. Determine the area of the figure and the
probable error in the resulting calculation.