KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
B. Sc. (Civil Engineering) Second Semester Examination, 2018
Second Year
May, 2018 GE 282 LARGE-SCALE SURVEYING 2½ Hours

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

A slope distance of 500.00 m was measured off along two points A and B on a terrain that slopes
uniformly at 1 in 4. Use this information to answer questions 1 and 2.

1. What is the horizontal distance between A and B?

(a) 490.29 m
(b) 485.07 m
(c) 498.06 m
(d) 100.00 m
(e) None of the above

2. What is the difference in elevation between A and B?

(a) 5.22 m
(b) 50.00 m
(c) 98.06 m
(d) 121.27 m
(e) None of the above

3. A distance of 350.45 m was measured along a smooth slope from a survey station P to station Q.
The elevations of P and Q were measured and found to be 200.00 m and 250.24 m, respectively.
Compute the horizontal distance between P and Q.
(a) 349.01 m
(b) 347.99 m
(c) 346.83 m
(d) 352.91 m
(e) None of the above

4. A steel tape of nominal length 20 m was found to be actually 20.050 m long after standardization.
What is the corrected length of a line measured with this tape and recorded to be 65.320 m?
(a) 65.483 m
(b)65.137 m
(c) 68.580 m
(d)65.230 m
(e) None of the above
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5. If 5 cm measured on a plan represents 200 m on the ground, the scale of the plan expressed in
representative fraction is
(a) 1 : 100.
(b) 1 : 4,000.
(c) 1 : 1,000.
(d) 1 : 400.
(e) None of the above.

6. A triangular parcel of land measures 60 m by 50 m by 40 m on the ground. Compute the area of

the parcel.
(a) 984,375.000 m2
(b) 120,000.000 m2
(c) 9929.157 m2
(d) 992.157 m2
(e) None of the above

7. On a plan of scale 1:500, a plot of land measures 40 cm2. What is the equivalent area of the plot
on the ground?
(a) 2500.00 m2
(b) 10.00 m2
(c) 100.00 m2
(d) 1,000.00 m2
(e) None of the above

8. The horizontal angle between the magnetic meridian and the geographic meridian at a point is
called
(a) geographic meridian.
(b) magnetic declination.
(c) magnetic bearing.
(d) geographic bearing
(e) None of the above.

9. A positive declination shows that magnetic meridian is to the

(a) northern side of the true meridian.
(b) western side of the true meridian.
(c) eastern side of the true meridian.
(d) southern side of the true meridian.
(e) None of the above.
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10. In a theodolite survey, the act of turning the telescope upside down, that is, rotating it about the
transverse axis, is called
(a) unclamping the telescope.
(b) targeting the telescope.
(c) focusing the telescope.
(d) plunging the telescope.
(e) None of the above.

11. In a theodolite survey, the process of turning the telescope about the vertical axis in a horizontal
plane is known as
(a) transiting the telescope.
(b) reversing the telescope.
(c) swinging the telescope.
(d) plunging the telescope.
(e) None of the above.

12. The horizontal angle measured clockwise from the magnetic meridian to a survey line is
(a) the true bearing of the survey line.
(b) the magnetic meridian of the survey line.
(c) the magnetic bearing of the survey line.
(d) the true declination of the survey line.
(e) None of the above.

13. At a traverse station, a left-hand angle is defined as

(a) the horizontal angle measured clockwise from the back station to the forward station.
(b) the vertical angle measured clockwise from the back station to the forward station.
(c) the horizontal angle measured anticlockwise from the back station to the forward station.
(d) the vertical angle measured clockwise from the forward station to the back station.
(e) None of the above.

14. Find the quadrant bearing of a line whose whole circle bearing is 317° 46′ 25″.
(a) S 47° 46′ 25″ E
(b) N 42° 13′ 35″ E
(c) S 47° 46′ 25″ W
(d) N 42° 13′ 35″ W
(e) None of the above.

15. What is the whole circle bearing of a line whose quadrant bearing is N 60° 40′ 50″ W?
(a) 299° 19′ 10″
(b) 60° 40′ 50″
(c) 119° 19′ 10″
(d) 240° 40′ 50″
(e) None of the above.
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16. If the bearings of two consecutive lines AB and BC in a traverse survey are 140° 59′ 52″ and 240°
45′ 27″ respectively, calculate the left-hand angle at station B.
(a) 80° 14′ 25″
(b) 99° 45′ 35″
(c) 279° 45′ 35″
(d) 320° 59′ 52″
(e) None of the above

The internal angles of a closed-loop anticlockwise traverse ABCDEA were observed with a theodolite
as follows: A = 69º 47' 42'', B = 220º 43' 26'', C = 54º 10' 52'', D = 87º 06' 20'', and E = 108º 12'
00''. The following horizontal distances were measured: AB = 606.70 m, BC = 471.70 m, CD = 751.65
m, DE = 855.87 m and EA = 502.06 m. The bearing of line EA is fixed at 11º 29' 20'' and the
coordinates of A are (E 2000.00 m, N 1000.00 m). Find the angular misclose of the traverse and
adjust the angles. Complete Tables 1 and 2 and use them to answer questions 17 – 32.

Table 1: Computation of Forward Bearings of Traverse Legs

Station Back Bearing of
From To Previous Leg Adjusted Left Hand Angle Forward Bearing Traverse Leg

E A 11º 29' 20'' EA

A B AB

B C BC

C D CD

D E DE

E A EA

Table 2: Computation of Coordinates of Traverse Stations

From Length (m) Bearing Latitude (m) Departure(m) Northing(m) Easting(m) To

1000.00 2000.00 A

A B

B C

C D

D E

E A

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17. The adjusted left hand angle at station B is
(a) 220˚ 43ʹ 22˝
(b) 220˚ 43ʹ 26˝
(c) 220˚ 43ʹ 30˝
(d) 220˚ 43ʹ 34˝
(e) None of the above

18. The adjusted left hand angle at station C is

(a) 54˚ 10ʹ 52˝
(b) 54˚ 10ʹ 56˝
(c) 54˚ 10ʹ 44˝
(d) 54˚ 10ʹ 48˝
(e) None of the above

19. The forward bearing of line BC is

(a) 81˚ 16ʹ 58˝
(b) 176˚ 11ʹ 08˝
(c) 302˚ 00ʹ 20˝
(d) 122˚ 00ʹ 20˝
(e) None of the above

20. The forward bearing of line CD is

(a) 81˚ 16ʹ 58˝
(b) 176˚ 11ʹ 08˝
(c) 302˚ 00ʹ 20˝
(d) 122˚ 00ʹ 20˝
(e) None of the above

21. The back bearing of line ED is

(a) 263˚ 17ʹ 24˝
(b) 263˚ 17ʹ 28˝
(c) 83˚ 17ʹ 24˝
(d) 83˚ 17ʹ 28˝
(e) None of the above

22. The unadjusted departure of line AB is

(a) + 91.95 m
(b) - 91.95 m
(c) + 599.69 m
(d) - 599.69 m
(e) None of the above
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23. The unadjusted latitude of line CD is
(a) + 749.98 m
(b) - 50.00 m
(c) - 749.98 m
(d) + 50.00 m
(e) None of the above

24. What is the total error in latitudes?

(a) + 0.32 m
(b) - 0.32 m
(c) -0.07 m
(d) + 0.07 m
(e) None of the above

25. What is the total error in departures?

(a) + 0.32 m
(b) - 0.32 m
(c) +0.07 m
(d) - 0.07 m
(e) None of the above

26. Compute the linear misclose of the traverse corrected to 3 decimal places.
(a) 0.390 m
(b) 0.250 m
(c) 0. 022m
(d) 0.328 m
(e) None of the above

27. What is the fractional misclose of the traverse corrected to the nearest hundred?
(a) 1 : 9,700
(b) 1 : 8,200
(c) 1 : 12,800
(d) 1 : 9,800
(e) None of the above

28. Using Bowditch method of adjustment, the corrections to be applied to the latitude and departure
of line CD are
(a) +0.02 m and +0.07 m, respectively
(b) - 0.02 m and -0.07 m, respectively
(c) +0.02 m and -0.07 m, respectively
(d) +0.07 m and -0.02 m, respectively
(e) None of the above

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29. What are the adjusted northing and easting coordinates of station B?
(a) N 908.04 m and E 1400.25 m
(b) N 1400.25 m and E 908.04 m
(c) N 1158.03 m and E 1000.20 m`
(d) N 1000.20 m and E 1158.03 m
(e) None of the above

30. Compute the adjusted coordinates of station C.

(a) N 1050.13 m and E 408.03 m
(b) N 1000.20 m and E 1158.03 m
(c) N 1158.03 m and E 1000.20 m`
(d) N 408.03 m and E 1050.13 m
(e) None of the above

31. Compute the adjusted coordinates of station D.

(a) N 408.03 m and E 1050.13 m
(b) N 508.01 m and E 1900.05 m
(c) N 1408.03 m and E 2050.13 m`
(d) N 1158.03 m and E 1000.20 m
(e) None of the above

32. Compute the adjusted coordinates of station E.

(a) N 408.03 m and E 1050.13 m
(b) N 508.01 m and E 1900.05 m
(c) N 1408.03 m and E 2050.13 m`
(d) N 1158.03 m and E 1000.20 m
(e) None of the above

In stadia Tacheometric work, a theodolite having a multiplying constant of 100 and an additive
constant of 0 was correctly centred and levelled at a height of 1.560 m above a traverse station Q of
reduced level 52.780 m. A levelling staff was held vertically at a traverse station P to provide a
reference direction and then at the bases of two electric poles labelled D and L in turn. The readings
shown in Table 3 were taken.

Table 3: Tacheometric survey readings

Staff position Staff reading (m) Vertical Angle Horizontal circle reading
P - - 000° 00' 00"
Electric Pole D 1.823, 1.622, 1.421 7° 08' 20" 92° 53' 25"
Electric Pole L 2.546, 2.390, 2.234 4° 06' 30" 135° 07' 40"

Given that the coordinates of station Q are 1200.000 m N, 1500.000 m E, and the whole circle
bearing of the line QP is 330° 52' 20", use the information in Table 2 to answer questions 33 – 48.
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33. In stadia-hair tacheometry, the horizontal circle reading is used to compute
(a) the horizontal distance between the instrument and the staff
(b) the vertical distance between the instrument and the staff
(c) the reduced level of the staff position
(d) the bearing of the line joining the instrument position to the staff position
(e) None of the above

34. The height of the instrument is

(a) 1.450 m
(b) 1.823 m
(c) 1.560 m
(d) 52.780 m
(e) None of the above.

35. The reduced level at the base of Pole D is

(a) 57.675 m
(b) 54.180 m
(c) 60.919 m
(d) 58.960 m
(e) None of the above.

36. Compute the reduced level at the base of Pole L.

(a) 57.675 m
(b) 54.180 m
(c) 60.919 m
(d) 58.960 m
(e) None of the above.

37. The horizontal distance of line QL is

(a) 39.579 m
(b) 65.456 m
(c) 63.077 m
(d) 31.040 m
(e) None of the above.

38. The horizontal distance of line QD is

(a) 39.579 m
(b) 65.456 m
(c) 63.077 m
(d) 31.040 m
(e) None of the above.

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39. The bearing of line QL is
(a) 330° 52' 20"
(b) 63° 45' 45"
(c) 106° 00' 00"
(d) 29° 07' 40"
(e) None of the above.

40. What is the bearing of line QD?

(a) 330° 52' 20"
(b) 63° 45' 45"
(c) 106° 00' 00"
(d) 29° 07' 40"
(e) None of the above.

41. The latitude of line QL is

(a) -8.556 m
(b) 29.838 m
(c) 35.501 m
(d) 17.498 m
(e) None of the above.

42. The latitude of line QD is

(a) -8.556 m
(b) 29.838 m
(c) 35.501 m
(d) 17.498 m
(e) None of the above.

43. The departure of line QL is

(a) -8.556 m
(b) 29.838 m
(c) 35.501 m
(d) 17.498 m
(e) None of the above.

44. The departure of line QD is

(a) -8.556 m
(b) 29.838 m
(c) 35.501 m
(d) 17.498 m
(e) None of the above.

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45. The northing coordinate of Pole D is
(a) 1208.556 m.
(b) 1191.444 m.
(c) 1182.502 m.
(d) 1217.498 m.
(e) None of the above.

46. The easting coordinate of Pole D is

(a) 1529.838 m.
(b) 1464.499 m.
(c) 1535.501 m.
(d) 1470.162 m.
(e) None of the above.

47. The northing coordinate of Pole L is

(a) 1208.556 m.
(b) 1191.444 m.
(c) 1182.502 m.
(d) 1217.498 m.
(e) None of the above.

48. The easting coordinate of Pole L is

(a) 1529.838 m.
(b) 1464.499 m.
(c) 1535.501 m.
(d) 1470.162 m.
(e) None of the above.

49. Which of the following statements is/are not true about a zenith angle?
(I) A zenith angle is measured in a vertical plane from a horizontal line upward or downward.
(II) A zenith angle is measured in a vertical plane downward from an upward directed vertical line
through the instrument.
(III) A zenith angle is between 0 and 180º.

(a) I only
(b) I and II only
(c) II and III only
(d) I and III only
(e) None of the above

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The following staff readings were taken consecutively during a levelling operation by Civil Engineering
II students during their practical section: 2.456, 1.325, 2.426, 0.843, 1.273, 1.148, 0.532, 0.746,
0.965, 1.294, 2.738, 0.975, 2.346, 2.582, 2.936, 1.642, 1.725, 3.020 (all values recorded in metres).
The position of the levelling instrument was changed after the 5th, 11th and 15th staff readings.

Table 4: Reduction of Levels by Height of Plane of Collimation Method

BS IS FS HPC Unadjusted Reduced Level Remarks

BM A (265.317 m)

Peg 1

Peg 2

Peg 3

Peg 4

Peg 5

Peg 6

Peg 7

Peg 8

Peg 9

Peg 10

Peg 11

Peg 12

Peg 13

BM B (261.579 m)

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Book the readings, and using the Height of Plane of Collimation Method, reduce the levels. If the first
and last staff readings were taken when the staff was placed on bench marks A and B of reduced
levels 265.317 m and 261.579 m respectively, complete Table 4 and use it to answer questions
50 – 62.

50. How many backsights were recorded?

(a) 3
(b) 4
(c) 6
(d) 10
(e) None of the above.

51. How many intermediate sights were recorded?

(a) 3
(b) 4
(c) 6
(d) 10
(e) None of the above.

52. The difference between the number of backsights and the number of change points is
(a) 0
(b) 1
(c) 2
(d) 3
(e) None of the above.

53. The value of the second height of plane of collimation is

(a) 267.773 m
(b) 266.500 m
(c) 267.648 m
(d) 265.885 m
(e) None of the above.

54. The adjusted reduced level of Peg 9 is

(a) 264.910 m
(b) 265.885 m
(c) 266.354 m
(d) 263.539 m
(e) None of the above.

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55. At which instrument station was the least number of staff readings taken?
(a) First
(b) Second
(c) Third
(d) Fourth
(e) None of the above.

56. Which of the following values is equal to the unadjusted reduced level of Peg 6?
(a) 266.906 m
(b) 266.683 m
(c) 266.902 m
(d) 266.888 m
(e) None of the above.

57. Which of the following statements is correct?

(a) Peg 2 is on a higher elevation than Peg 8.
(b) The same contour line passes through Peg 10 and Peg 5.
(c) Reduced levels of Peg 6 and Peg 7 are the same.
(d) Corrections applied to the unadjusted reduced levels of Peg 4 and Peg 5 are the same.
(e) None of the above.

58. Which of the following sets of staff readings were recorded from the same instrument position?

(a) 0.975 m, 2.346 m, 2.582 m, 1.642 m.

(b) 1.148 m, 0.746 m, 0.965 m, 2.738 m.
(c) 2.456 m, 2.426 m, 0.843 m, 1.148 m.
(d) 1.642 m, 2.936m, 1.725 m, 3.020 m.
(e) None of the above.

59. Which of the following statements is not correct?

(a) The number of change points is always less than the number of instrument stations.
(b) The number of backsights is equal to the number of foresights.
(c) The number of instrument stations is equal to the number of foresights.
(d) The number of height of planes of collimation (HPC) is equal to the number of backsights.
(e) None of the above.

60. What is the misclose of the levelling task?

(a) -0.008 m
(b) +0.008 m
(c) +0.006 m
(d) -0.006 m
(e) None of the above.
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61. Compute the magnitude of the correction to be applied to the initial reduced level of Peg 9.
(a) 0.002 m
(b) 0.004 m
(c) 0.006 m
(d) 0.003 m
(e) None of the above.

62. The third height of plane of collimation is

(a) 267.773 m
(b) 266.500 m
(c) 265.885 m
(d) 267.648 m
(e) None of the above.

63. Which of the following statements is/are true about the term change point as used in levelling?
I. A change point is a staff position at which two staff readings are taken.
II. At a change point, a backsight is taken first followed by a foresight.
III. At a change point, a foresight is taken first followed by a backsight.
IV. A change point is a levelling instrument position where a foresight is taken followed by a
backsight.

(a) I and II only

(b) I and III only
(c) I and IV only
(d) II and IV only
(e) None of the above

64. Which of the following characteristics is/are true of contour lines?

(i) A contour line joins points of equal elevation;
(ii) Contour lines are continuous lines within the areas they cover;
(iii) Contours which are closer together indicate gentle slope and contours which are
evenly spaced indicate steep slope;
(iv) A contour line does not split into other contours or join any other contour line.

(a) I and II only

(b) I and III only
(c) I, II and III only
(d) I, II and IV only
(e) None of the above

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65. 70-m and 40-m contour lines pass through two points A and B respectively. Assuming there is a
constant slope between A and B and the slope distance between A and B is 120.00 m, compute
the horizontal distance between A and B.
(a) 112.66 m
(b) 121.66 m
(c) 116.19 m
(d) 124.00 m
(e) None of the above

66. 80-m and 100-m contour lines pass through two points C and D respectively. Assuming there is a
constant slope between C and D and the horizontal distance between C and D is 1200.00 m,
compute the gradient of the line CD.
(a) 1:60
(b) 1:6
(c) 1:20
(d) 1:100
(e) None of the above

67. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

I. Every measurement contains errors.
II. The exact error present in a measurement is always unknown.
III. An error is the difference between a measured quantity and its true value.

(a) I and II only

(b) II and III only
(c) I, II and III only
(d) I, II and IV only
(e) All of the above

68. A systematic error is any biasing effect in the environment, methods of observation or in the
measuring instrument which introduces an error into a measurement such that the measured
value is either too high or too low. Which of the following is/are not characteristic(s) of
systematic errors?

I. They are usually constant (having the same magnitude and sign) throughout an operation.
II. They conform to mathematical and physical laws.
III. Cumulative observations will increase or propagate the effect of systematic errors.

(a) I only.
(b) I and II only.
(c) I and III only.
(d) II and III only.
(e) None of the above.
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69. Which of the following statements is/are not correct?
I. In chain surveying, line ranging is necessary when the length of a line to be measured is
more than the length of the tape to be used.
II. Cadastral surveying is the determination of the positions of boundaries of public or private
lands, including national and international boundaries, and the registration of those lands with
appropriate authorities.
III. Hydrographic surveys are conducted to determine the position of the survey vessel, depth of
water and to investigate the nature of the sea bed.
IV. Topographic surveys are made to determine the configuration (or relief) of the Earth’s surface
and to locate natural and artificial features on it.

(a) I and II only

(b) I and III only
(c) I, II and III only
(d) II, III and IV only
(e) None of the above

70. Accuracy denotes

(a) the algebraic difference between two measurements of the same quantity.
(b) the degree of consistency of a group of measurements.
(c) a measure of the absolute nearness of a measured quantity to its true value.
(d) the spread of the measured values of a quantity.
(e) None of the above

I. Dadzie
E. M. Osei Jnr.

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