SURIGAO EDUCATION CENTER

Km. 2, 8400 Surigao City, Philippines

College of Engineering and Architecture

Civil Engineering Department

CEPC 102 - Fundamentals of Surveying

Laboratory Exercise No. 1

Measuring Distance by Pacing

Name: ________________________________ Date Performed: _______________

Course & Year: ________________________ Time Started: __________________
Rating: _____________ Time Completed: _______________

I. INTRODUCTION
Pacing is the simplest and easiest method for measuring distance. Pacing is
consists of counting the number of steps or paces in required distance. It may be
measured from hell to hell or from toe to toe.

Pacing furnishes a convenient means of obtaining approximate distances which is

quite useful in surveying. It is one of the methods of measuring distances and can
be used to obtain a rough check on more accurate measurements made with a
tape.

One advantage of pacing for measuring distance is that it doesn't require any
specialized equipment. The biggest disadvantage is that it requires being able to
walk the route. It is not very useful for measuring distance in rough terrain, across
swamps or any other terrain where an individual could not walk the distance or
walk in a straight line.

Since everyone has different measurements of their pacing, this exercise lets the
students determine their individual pace factor and relative precision so that they
may be able to use them in surveying, as well as to use their own pace factor in
measuring unknown length or distance.

After completion the fieldwork activity the students are expected to determine
individual pace factor and to utilize the pace factor to compute an unknown
distance by pacing.

Prepared by NOEL M. NASAYAO, CE, REA, RMP, ME1

II. OBJECTIVES

1. To determine individual pace factor.

2. To measure distance by pacing.

III. DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. PACE – the length of a single step.

2. PACING – consist of counting the number of steps in a required distance.
3. STRIDE – two paces or a double step.
4. PACE FACTOR – a value determined by dividing the measured or known
length of a line by the mean number of paces taken to walk
or traverse the line.
5. PACED DISTANCE – the length of a course as determined by pacing.
6. TAPED DISTANCE - the length of a line or course as determined with a tape.
7. DISCREPANCY – in any measurement is the difference between any two
measurements involving the same line or course.
8. RELATIVE PRECISION OF MEASUREMENT (% ERROR) – a value
determined by dividing the discrepancy by the mean
measured length, and where the numerator is reduced to
unity or one.

IV. INSTRUMENTS / MATERIALS NEEDED

⮚ Steel tape
⮚ Markers (hubs, paint, chalk, or crayons)

V. PROCEDURE
1. Determining Pace Factor.
a. Select a straight and level course and on both ends establish markers at least
30 meters apart. Designate these end points as A and B.
b) Walk over the course at a natural pace or gait starting with either heel or toe
over point A and count the number of paces to reach point B.
c) For succeeding trials, walk from B to A, then A to B, until 5 trials are completed,
and the number of paces recorded accordingly.
d) Refer to the Table 1 format for the recording of observed field data.
2. Measuring Distance by Pacing.

Prepared by NOEL M. NASAYAO, CE, REA, RMP, ME1

 a) Define or establish the end points of another level course whose length is to be
determined by pacing. Designate these end points as C and D.
b) For the first trial, walk over the course from C to D at a natural pace and record
the number of paces. Then, walk from D to C and again record the number of
paces.
c) Repeat the above procedure until all five trials are completed.
d) After the field data is recorded, make an actual taping of the course CD to
determine the taped distance.
e) Refer to the Table 2 format for the recording of observed field data.

VI. COMPUTATION
1. Computing Pace Factor (PF).
a) Get the sum of the number of paces for the five trials performed on course AB
then compute the mean number of paces.
b) Divide the known or taped length of course AB by the mean number of paces
for AB to determine the pace factor.
2. Computing Paced Distance (PD).
a) Get the sum of the number of paces for the five trials performed on course CD
and compute the mean number of paces.
b) Multiply the mean number of paces for CD by the pace factor to obtain the
paced distance.
3. Computing Relative Precision (RP).
a) Determine the difference between the taped distance of CD and the paced
distance of CD.
b) Divide the difference by the taped distance of CD and reduce the numerator to
unity to determine the relative precision.

VII. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Determining Pace Factor
Trial Line Taped Number of Mean Pace
Distance Paces Factor (PF)
1 AB
2 BA
3 AB
4 BA
5 AB

Prepared by NOEL M. NASAYAO, CE, REA, RMP, ME1

Solutions / Discussion:

Table 2. Measuring Distance by Pacing

Trial Line No. of Mean Paced Taped Relative % Error
Paces Distance Distanc Precision
(PD) e (RP)
1 CD
2 DC
3 CD
4 DC
5 CD

Solutions / Discussion:

Prepared by NOEL M. NASAYAO, CE, REA, RMP, ME1

VIII. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Prepared by NOEL M. NASAYAO, CE, REA, RMP, ME1