DANICA M.

GARGANTA
BSABE 1-2

CENGR 1221 (Laboratory)

Surveying

LABORATORY EXERCISE 3 – DETERMINING AREA OF A RECTILINEAR FIELD BY TAPE

I. INTRODUCTION
Taping is one of the most simple and practical ways to measure the distance between two
places. You may use this approach to calculate distances from one spot to another. However, the
application of this method is not limited to the measurement of distances.

According to "Other Surveys with Tape" (2008), there are a variety of surveying fieldwork
problems that can be handled only by using a tape. Erecting perpendicular to a line, measuring angles,
laying off angles, calculating obstructed distances, identifying irregular borders, and determining areas
of various forms are some of the surveying tasks.

This field exercise is conducted to calculate the area of a rectilinear field using the chord
technique of calculating angles based on the data received.

II. OBJECTIVE:
1. to learn how to measure horizontal angles with tape
2. to determine the area of a rectilinear field with tape

III. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT: measuring tape, chaining pins, range poles, pegs or hubs

IV. METHODOLOGY

1. Establish the corners of the assigned field (A, B, etc.) and also establish within the field a
centrally-located point (F).
2. Subdivide the field into a convenient series of connected triangles (refer to accompanying
figure). Use pegs, hubs, or pins to mark the vertices (there may be more for actual field
boundaries) of each triangle. Call these points A, B, C, etc.
3. From the centrally-located point, measure distances to each point defining the corners or
vertices of each triangle. Call these distances d1, d2, etc. While measuring these distances,
put markers for the length of side (L) which will be assigned to your lab section (should not
be longer than d1, d2, etc.). Using the chord method of measuring angles by tape, determine
all the angles about the central point, i.e., θ1, θ2, etc.
4. Refer to the accompanying sample tabulation for the recording of observed field data.
V. COMPUTATIONS:

1. Determining Values of Included Angles

With the use of a tape, the chord method of measuring angles may be applied to determine
the value of an angle (see above formula).
Computed Angle, Ө = 2{arcsin[(p/2)/L]}
Express answers in degrees, minutes and seconds (º, ̍, ̎ ), where seconds must be rounded
off to two (2) decimal places or the nearest hundredths only.
Start computing numbers in parentheses ( ), then square brackets [ ], and braces { }.
Get sum of computed angles, θt = θ1+ θ2+ θ3 + θ4 + θ5.
Correction = (360º - θt)/5
Correction may be positive (if θt is <360º) or negative (if θt is >360º) values.
Adjusted Angle, θ’ = Computed Angle, θ ± Correction
After corrections, the total adjusted angles, θ’t = 360º.
Included Chord Length of Computed Correction Adjusted Angle
Angle Distance (p) Side (L) Angle (θ) (±θ) (Ɵ’)
θ1 0.59 m 34º18’54.27” 34º52’31.16”
θ2 1.19 m 73º1’30.95” 73º35’7.84”
θ3 1.23 m 1m 75º54’13.83” 0º33’36.89” 76º27’50.72”
θ4 1.51 m 98º3’2.66” 98º36’39.55”
θ5 1.23 m 75º54’13.83” 76º27’50.72”

Computed Angle, θ = 2{arcsin[(p/2)/L]}

θ1
θ1= 2{arcsin[(p/2)/L]}
θ1= 2{arcsin[(0.59/2)/1]}
θ1= 34º18’54.27”

θ2
θ2= 2{arcsin[(p/2)/L]}
θ2= 2{arcsin[(1.19/2)/1]}
θ2= 73º1’30.95”

θ3
θ3= 2{arcsin[(p/2)/L]}
θ3= 2{arcsin[(1.23/2)/1]}
θ3= 75º54’13.83”

θ4
θ4= 2{arcsin[(p/2)/L]}
θ4= 2{arcsin[(1.51/2)/1]}
θ4= 98º3’2.66”

θ5
θ5= 2{arcsin[(p/2)/L]}
θ5= 2{arcsin[(1.23/2)/1]}
θ5= 75º54’13.83”

Correction =(360º- θt)/5

Correction = (360º - 34º18’54.27” + 73º1’30.95” + 75º54’13.83” + 98º3’2.66” + 75º54’13.83”)/5
Correction = (360º - 357º11’55.54”)/5
Correction = 0º33’36.89”

Adjusted Angle, θ’ = Computed Angle, θ ± Correction

θ1
θ1= 34º18’54.27” + 0º33’36.89”
θ1= 34º52’31.16”
 θ2
θ2=73º1’30.95” + 0º33’36.89”
θ2= 73º35’7.84”

θ3
θ3=75º54’13.83” + 0º33’36.89”
θ3= 76º27’50.72”

θ4
θ4=98º3’2.66”+ 0º33’36.89”
θ4= 98º36’39.55”

θ5
θ5=75º54’13.83” + 0º33’36.89”
θ5= 76º27’50.72”

total adjusted angles, θ’t = 360º

θ’t = 34º52’31.16” + 73º35’7.84” + 76º27’50.72” + 98º36’39.55” + 76º27’50.72”
θ’t = 360º

2. Determining Area of Each Triangle

In each triangle, since the length of two sides and the included angle were already
determined, the area of each triangle may be calculated by the following formula:

A = [½(a)(b)(Sin θ’)]
where: A = area of each triangle, square meter (m2)
a & b = two measured sides of the triangle (d1, d2, etc.), meter (m)
θ’ = included angle (θ’1, θ’2, etc.)

Triangle Sides (m) Included Angle (Adjusted Angle, θ’) Area

1st 2nd (m2)
ABF 2.22m 2.60 m 34º52’31.16” 1.650193369 m2
BCF 2.60 m 2.15 m 73º35’7.84” 2.681082915 m2
CDF 2.15 m 2.9 m 76º27’50.72” 3.030906492 m2
DEF 2.9 m 2.42 m 98º36’39.55” 3.469445466 m2
AEF 2.42 m 2.22 m 76º27’50.72” 2.611586533 m2

Triangle ABF
A = [½(2.22m)( 2.60 m)(Sin 34º52’31.16”)]
A = 1.650193369 m2

Triangle BCF
 A = [½(2.60m)(2.15m)(Sin 73º35’7.84”)]
A= 2.681082915 m2

Triangle CDF
A = [½(2.15m)(2.9m)(Sin 76º27’50.72”)]
A = 3.030906492 m2

Triangle DEF
A = [½(2.9m)(2.42m)(Sin 98º36’39.55”)]
A = 3.469445466 m2

Triangle AEF
A = [½(2.42)(2.22m)(Sin 76º27’50.72”)]
A = 2.611586533 m2

3. Calculating the Total Area (round off answers up to two decimal places or nearest hundredths).

At = A1 + A2 + A3 + A4 + A5
At = 1.650193369 m2 + 2.681082915 m2 + 3.030906492 m2 + 3.469445466 m2 + 2.611586533 m2
At = 13.44321478 m2
At = 13.44 m2

VI. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In the first table, it shows the computed interior angle. To get the value of the computed angle,
apply the cosine law and get the total of all the computed angles, then subtract them from 360
degrees. The result is divided by five to get the value of the correction. To get the value of the
adjusted angle, subtract the computed angle and the correction.

The second table shows the area of an individual triangle. To get the area of each triangle, use
the formula A = [½(a)(b)(Sin θ’)]. And then add all the computed area in each triangle to get the total
area.

VII. CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATIONS
In this field work, we tried to determine the angles and area of a rectilinear field using only the
tape by dividing the area into triangles and using different ways of getting the area. Therefore, taping
is one of the easiest ways that we can use to measure horizontal angles and the area of a rectilinear
field.

VII. REFERENCES
2b. other surveys with tape. dokumen.tips. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2022, from
https://dokumen.tips/documents/2b-other-surveys-with-tape-5780bb7fd2904.html
DOCUMENTATION