Civil Engineering PE Surveying and Geomatics 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A surveyor measures a slope distance of 200.0 ft along a 5% grade. What is the horizontal distance?
- 195.00 ft
- 199.75 ft (Correct answer)
- 198.50 ft
- 201.00 ft
Correct answer: 199.75 ft
HD = SD × cos(θ) where θ = arctan(0.05) = 2.862°; HD = 200 × cos(2.862°) ≈ 199.75 ft.
Question 2: Convert the bearing S 45° W to an azimuth.
- 45°
- 135°
- 225° (Correct answer)
- 315°
Correct answer: 225°
S 45° W means 180° (due south) plus 45° toward west, giving an azimuth of 225°.
Question 3: A backsight of 8.42 ft is taken on a benchmark with elevation 100.00 ft. What is the height of instrument (HI)?
- 91.58 ft
- 100.00 ft
- 108.42 ft (Correct answer)
- 104.21 ft
Correct answer: 108.42 ft
HI = Benchmark Elevation + Backsight = 100.00 + 8.42 = 108.42 ft.
Question 4: A closed traverse has a linear misclosure of 0.42 ft and a total perimeter of 1,260 ft. What is the precision ratio?
- 1:2,000
- 1:3,000 (Correct answer)
- 1:4,000
- 1:1,500
Correct answer: 1:3,000
Precision = 1:(perimeter/misclosure) = 1:(1,260/0.42) = 1:3,000.
Question 5: A horizontal curve has R = 600 ft and a central angle Δ = 30°. What is the arc length?
- 157.1 ft
- 200.0 ft
- 314.2 ft (Correct answer)
- 628.3 ft
Correct answer: 314.2 ft
L = (Δ/360°) × 2πR = (30/360) × 2π × 600 = 314.16 ft ≈ 314.2 ft.
Question 6: A vertical curve connects a +3% grade to a −2% grade over a length of 500 ft. What is the rate of grade change per station (100 ft)?
- 0.5%/sta
- 1.0%/sta (Correct answer)
- 1.5%/sta
- 2.5%/sta
Correct answer: 1.0%/sta
Rate = |g₂ − g₁| / (L/100) = |−2 − 3| / (500/100) = 5/5 = 1.0%/station.
Question 7: In stadia surveying on a level sight, the stadia interval is 1.50 ft, the stadia constant K = 100, and instrument constant C = 1.0 ft. What is the horizontal distance?
- 100 ft
- 150 ft
- 151 ft (Correct answer)
- 152 ft
Correct answer: 151 ft
H = K × s + C = 100 × 1.50 + 1.0 = 151.0 ft.
Civil Engineering PE Surveying and Geomatics 1
A surveyor measures a slope distance of 200.0 ft along a 5% grade.
What is the horizontal distance?