Fieldwork Exercise No.

1
Measurement of Horizontal Distance by Pacing

Student’s Name: Tekiner, Aldrien P. Student Number: 20200104694

Date of Performance: 08/30/2021 Instructor’s Name: Prof. Razon Domingo

I. Objective

1. To determine an individual’s pace factor.

2. To approximate horizontal distances by pacing.

II. Equipment

1. Tape (steel, vinyl, or fiberglass)

2. Range poles
3. Marker/marking pins

III. Procedure

A. Determining Pace Factor

1. Select a straight and level course assigned by your instructor.

2. Put a mark on the ground at 0-m (point A) and 20-m (point B) stations. Ensure that the stations
are in a straight line.
3. Use your normal walk to pace off from point A to point B and back. Perform four trials and
record the number of paces for each trial.
4. Calculate the average number of paces for the four trials.
5. Calculate the pace factor (PF) by dividing the known length (20 m) by the average number of
paces. Report the pace factor in three decimal places.

B. Determining Horizontal/Paced Distance.

1. Establish another straight level course and name these as point C and point D.
2. Use your normal walk to pace off course CD for three trials. Record the number of paces for
each trial.
3. Calculate the average number of paces on course CD.
4. Determine the paced distance of course CD by multiplying the pace factor (PF) obtained from A
and the average number of paces on course CD.
5. Record the calculated paced distance in two decimal places.
6. Determine the actual length of course CD using a tape and compute for the relative precision of
your work.
IV. Calculation
Measured Distance
1. Pace Factor (PF) =
Average Number of Paces

2. Paced Distance = (Pace Factor)(Average Number of Paces)

|Paced Distance-Taped Distance|

3. Relative Precision = Taped Distance

Table 1 Computations:

30 + 31 + 30 + 30
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑛𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 = = 30.25 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠
4
20 𝑚
𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 (𝑃𝐹) = = 0.6612 𝑚/𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒
30.25 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠

Table 2 Computations:

37 + 38 + 37 + 39
𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑛𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠 = = 37.75 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠
4
𝑚
𝑃𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = (37.75 𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑠) (0.6612 ) = 24.9603 𝑚
𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑒

|24.9603 𝑚 − 25 𝑚|
𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
25 𝑚
0.0397
=
25

= 1.588 × 10−3

1
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚 =
25
0.0397
1
= 𝑜𝑟 1: 629.733
629.733

Image A: Measuring the distance between C and D.

V. Data and Results

Table 1: Pace factor determination

Measured Average No.
Trial Line No. of Paces Pace Factor
Distance of Paces
1 AB 30 paces
2 BA 31 paces 0.6612
20 m 30.25 paces
3 AB 30 paces m/pace
4 BA 30 paces

Table 2. Paced distance determination

No. of Average No. Paced Taped Relative Precision
Trial Line
Paces of Paces Distance Distance
1 CD 37 paces
= 1.588 × 10−3
2 DC 38 paces or
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
37.75 paces 24.9603 m 25 m
1
3 CD 37 paces = 𝑜𝑟 1: 629.733
629.733
4 DC 39 paces

VI. Conclusion/s

In doing the process of pacing it was not easy to trust the steel tape in conducting the required 20
meters of distance, and also in measuring the distance between C and D. From the First phase of the process,
the distance of 20 m, A and B, it resulted to a value of pace factor of 0.6612 meter per pace. From that
value, it resulted to a precise value comparing to the taped value of 25 m. It was not surprising that the
result of the relative precision was a great ratio value of 1:629.733.

V. Recommendation/s

In conducting the activity, it is more advisable to use tape measuring device but with a stronger
material that can resist heat or prevention towards thermal expansion, which is one of the factors in
resulting to errors in measured values. Lastly, in conducting the activity, it is recommended if you are
going to pace in a comfortable manner, so it would result to a more consistent results of set values.