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OMITTED MEASUREMENTS

Often it becomes impossible to measure all the lengths and bearings of a closed traverse. The values of
these missing quantities can be determined, provided they do not exceed two in number.
The practice of omitting measurements for one or more sides of a closed traverse and solving for them is
not desirable and should be avoided. The trouble with such calculations is that it tends to throw all possible errors
and mistakes into the computation of the lengths and directions. There is no choice but to assume that the
measurements taken are all correct and without error, since the observed and omitted measurements are part of
a closed traverse, the algebraic sum of all the latitudes and that of all departures are each zero.
It is not justifiable, however, to say that such a practice should never be attempted or employed. There
are various circumstances where this method can be used to advantage. There are reasons why measurements
are omitted in the field and are computed later in the office.

The following are some of the more common types of omitted measurements:

I. Omitted Measurements are in One Side

a. Length and bearing of one side unknown

II. Omitted Measurements Involving Adjacent Sides

a. Lengths of two sides unknown
b. Bearings of two sides unknown
c. Length of one side and bearing of another side unknown

III. Omitted Measurements Involving Non-Adjacent Sides

a. Lengths of two sides unknown
b. Bearings of two sides unknown
c. Length of one side and bearing of another side unknown

I. Omitted Measurements are in One Side

a. Length and bearing of one side unknown

If the measurements for the known sides are presumed to be correct and without error, it is acceptable to
compute the missing quantities of the unknown side as DA in the figure (considered as the closing line). The
problem of determining the length and direction of one side of a closed traverse is primarily the same as that of
computing the length and direction of the side of error in any closed traverse.

Given the accompanying tabulation for a closed traverse in which the length and bearing of line DA unknown.
Determine the values of the unknown quantities.

Line Length, m Bearing

AB 210.50 N 2030’ E
BC 505.38 N 8345’ E
CD 412.55 S 1805’ W
DA

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II. Omitted Measurements Involving Adjacent Sides

For the traverse shown in the figure below, where the omitted data occur on two adjacent sides, the common
approach to this problem is to first connect the ends of the known parts, as CE in the figure. Find the length and
direction of this line by the method of Case I. Then the triangle CDE is solved for the other missing lengths
and/or directions of other sides using the basic principles of trigonometry.

a. Lengths of two sides unknown

Given the following data for a closed traverse, find the missing data.

Line Length, m Bearing Latitude Departure

AB 172.62 N 9°30’ E
BC 148.59 S 69°12’ E
CD -- N 58°38’ E
DE -- S 06°41’ E
EA 336.63 N 87°23’ W

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b. Directions of two sides unknown

Determine the bearing of lines 4-5 and 5-1 of the closed traverse shown, the technical description of
which is as follows:

Line Length, m Bearing Latitude Departure

1-2 44.37 S 3530’ W
2-3 137.84 N 5715’ W
3-4 12.83 N 145’ E
4-5 64.86 --
5-1 106.72 --

c. Length of one side and bearing of another side unknown

Find the bearing of line DE and the length of line EA of the closed traverse given the following field notes
below.

Line Length, m Bearing Latitude Departure

AB 32.20 S 7015’ E
BC 31.20 S 3630’ W
CD 17.40 N 6630’W
DE 36.30 --
EA -- N 6000’E

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III. Omitted Measurements Involving Non-Adjacent Sides

For a traverse where the omitted data occur on two non-adjacent sides, with an added graphical solution,
the following rules are adapted:

 A line may be moved from one location to a second location parallel with the first and its latitude and
departure will remain unchanged.

 The algebraic sum of the latitudes and the algebraic sum of the departures of any system of lines forming
a closed figure must be zero, regardless of the order in which the lines are placed.

The two non-adjoining sides of a the traverse are brought into the same triangle by imagining the intervening
lines having shifted parallel to themselves in the direction parallel to one of the unknowns, such that the two
unknown sides adjoin. The solution then becomes similar with the solution for adjacent sides.

B B
C C

A E’ A E’
F’ F’

F DE = CE’
EF = E’F’
CD = FF’

a. Lengths of two sides unknown

Given the following data for a closed traverse, for which the lengths of BC and DE have not been measured in
the field. Compute the unknown lengths.

Line Length, m Bearing Latitude Departure

AB 689.32 N 09°30’ W
BC -- N 56°55’W
CD 678.68 S 56°13’ W
DE -- S 02°02’ E
EA 1082.71 S 89°31’ E

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b. Directions of two sides unknown

1. Given the following sketch and tabulated data for a closed traverse, determine the unknown quantities.

Line Distance, m Bearing Latitude Departure

AB 895.26 N 7000’ W
BC 535.70 --
CD 779.50 S 7847’ E
DE 412.35 --
EF 500.25 S 2245’ E
FA 758.40 S 66 00’ W

c. Length of one side and bearing of another side unknown

1. Given the following sketch and tabulated data for a closed traverse, determine the unknown quantities.

Line Distance, m Bearing Latitude Departure

AB 842.50 N 6715’ W
BC 518.15 S 4845’ E
CD 461.22 -
DE 840.08 N 8546’ W
EA - N 1650’ E

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Omitted Measurements