Name: Alexander H.

Otacan
GROUP NUMBER: 1
Date Performed: October 18, 2023

DETERMINING THE AREA OF A RECTILINEAR FIELD BY TAPE

Laboratory Activity No.4

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

MATERIALS AND INTRUMENTS NEEDED:

1. Steel Tape,
2. Chaining Pins,
3. Range Poles,
4. Hubs or Pegs

INTRODUCTION, THEORY AND PRECAUTIONS:

1. Determining areas of rectilinear fields by tape is a slow process and is not advisable when large areas are
involved.
2. This method of field survey was widely used before instruments for measuring angles were built.
3. The accuracy of the values obtained by this procedure is dependent on the size of the angles, on the care
with which the points are set on line, and on the accuracy of the measured lengths.
4. Experience will show that with reasonable care the value of an angle determined by tape measurements
would agree with the value obtained with a transit within one to three minutes.
5. All distances from the centrally-located point of the field to the different corners should be measured twice
and the mean recorded as its actual length.

PROCEDURE:

Step 1. Establish the corners of the assigned field and also

establish within the field a centrally-located point.

Step 2. Subdivide the field into a convenient series of

connected triangles (refer to accompanying figure).
Use pegs, hubs, or pins to mark the vertices to each
triangle. Call these points A, B, C, and etc.

Step 3. From centrally-located point, measure distances to

each point defining the corners or vertices of each
triangle. Call these distances d1, d2, and etc.

Step 4. Using the chord method of measuring angles by tape,

determine all angles about the central point, i.e., θ1, Fig. 4-1. A field subdivided into
θ2 , and etc. triangles
La Putt , J , Surveying Lab
Step 5. Refer to the accompanying sample tabulation for the recording of observed field data.
COMPUTATIONS:

1. Determining Value 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. The following formula is used.

Where :
= angle whose value is desired
= measured chord distance
= any convenient length of tape swung through an arc

Fig 4 -2 Chord method of measuring angles

La Putt , J , Surveying Lab Manual , p 74

Table 4 - 1
INCLUDED CHORD LENGTH OF COMPUTED ADJUSTED
CORR
ANGLE DISTANCE SIDE ANGLE ANGLE
θ1

θ2

θ3

θ4

θ5

2. Determining Area of Each Triangle

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

Where :
A=( 1/2 )( a ) ( b ) SinC
= area of the triangle
= the two measured sides of the triangle (or , , etc.)
= included angle (or , , ,etc.)
 Table 4 -2
SIDE
TRIANGLE INCLUDED ANGLE AREA
1st 2nd
ABF
BCF
CDF
DEF
AEF

3. Calculating the Total Area

The total area of the field is the sum of the calculated areas of the series of connected triangles into which
the field is sub-divided, or

A t = A 1 + A 2+ A 3+ A 4 + A 5 Where :
= total area of the field, and , and etc. are areas of
individual triangles.

At =¿_________________________________
CONCLUSION:

RECOMMENDATION:
SOLUTION