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. In the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), what is the standard size of a township?

    Answer: 6 miles × 6 miles

    A PLSS township is a square unit measuring 6 miles on each side, containing 36 sections.

  2. How many acres are in a standard PLSS section?

    Answer: 640 acres

    A standard PLSS section measures 1 mile × 1 mile and contains 640 acres.

  3. In a PLSS township, sections are numbered starting from which corner?

    Answer: Northeast corner

    PLSS sections are numbered 1–36 beginning at the northeast corner and proceeding in a boustrophedon (back-and-forth) pattern.

  4. What is the term for the fractional sections created along the north and west edges of a PLSS township to account for convergence and measurement errors?

    Answer: Government lots

    Government lots are irregular fractional sections found along the north and west boundaries of a township where closure errors and convergence are absorbed.

  5. What is the primary meridian used as the reference for the PLSS surveys in California, Nevada, and most of Oregon?

    Answer: Mount Diablo Meridian

    The Mount Diablo Meridian and Base Line govern the PLSS in California, Nevada, and most of Oregon.

  6. What is a 'quarter section' in the PLSS, and how many acres does it contain?

    Answer: One-quarter of a section; 160 acres

    A quarter section is one-fourth of a standard 640-acre section, totaling 160 acres.

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