Practice Test Geeks(PS) Professional Licensed Surveyor Practice Test
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PS Public Land Survey System (PLSS) Flashcards

6 cards from real PS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 PS Public Land Survey System (PLSS) flashcards as text

  1. What is the standard width of a PLSS guide meridian and how often are they established east and west of the principal meridian?

    Answer: Every 24 miles east and west

    Guide meridians run true north and are established every 24 miles east and west of the principal meridian to control accumulated error.

  2. A witness corner in the PLSS is set when:

    Answer: A true corner falls in a body of water or inaccessible location

    Witness corners are established on a survey line at a specific distance and direction from the true corner when that corner cannot be physically marked.

  3. In a PLSS section, what is the legal description of the parcel in the northwest corner that is half of a quarter section?

    Answer: W½ NW¼

    The W½ NW¼ describes a strip running the full north-south length of the NW quarter, comprising the western half of that quarter and lying in the northwest corner of the section.

  4. What type of PLSS corner is set at the intersection of a township line and a range line at every 6-mile interval?

    Answer: Township corner

    Township corners are established at each 6-mile grid intersection where township lines cross range lines, defining the corners of each township.

  5. How many sections are in a standard PLSS township?

    Answer: 36

    A standard township is divided into 36 sections, each nominally 1 mile square and containing 640 acres.

  6. What is the BLM publication that governs the procedures for conducting, retracing, and re-establishing PLSS surveys on federal lands?

    Answer: Manual of Surveying Instructions

    The BLM Manual of Surveying Instructions (most recently revised in 2009) is the authoritative guide for all PLSS survey procedures on federal lands.

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  1. ncees.org — Test delivery, eligibility, fees, passing score, retake policy, score release, exam format, time limit · verified Oct 2026