Georgia (GA) Land Surveyor License Practice Exam – 200
Questions with Answers & Detailed Explanations |
INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD
Introduction
The Georgia Land Surveyor License Exam requires a strong understanding of boundary law,
surveying principles, instruments, and field procedures. This practice exam contains 200
carefully designed questions, divided into four batches of 50 questions each, covering all
critical areas tested by the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land
Surveyors.
Each question includes the correct answer in bold and a detailed explanation in italics to help
you understand the rationale behind it, not just memorize answers. Topics include:
Boundary surveys and retracement
Topographic and subdivision surveys
Geodetic and control surveys
Curve and traverse computations
GPS and total station operations
Legal descriptions, deeds, and monumentation
Leveling, elevations, and surveying instruments
This guide is designed to simulate real exam conditions, reinforce your knowledge, and build
confidence so you can pass the exam and begin your professional career as a licensed land
surveyor in Georgia.
1. What is the main purpose of a benchmark in surveying?
A) Boundary marker
B) Control monument
C) Reference elevation point
D) Property corner
Benchmarks are fixed reference points with known elevation, used to ensure
consistency in leveling and vertical measurements across surveys.
2. Which coordinate system is commonly used in Georgia for state plane
surveys?
A) Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
B) Georgia State Plane Coordinate System
C) Geographic coordinate system
, D) Mercator projection
Georgia surveys use the State Plane Coordinate System to provide high
accuracy in mapping and legal descriptions within the state.
3. The legal description “metes and bounds” primarily uses:
A) Coordinates and elevations
B) Distances and directions
C) Parcel numbers
D) Street addresses
Metes and bounds describe property boundaries using bearings, distances,
and physical landmarks.
4. In boundary retracement, which document is most authoritative?
A) Plat map
B) Surveyor notes
C) Deed
D) Tax map
Deeds are legal documents defining property ownership and take
precedence over other references in boundary determinations.
5. Which instrument measures horizontal angles accurately in the field?
A) Level
B) Tape
C) Theodolite
D) GPS receiver
A theodolite measures horizontal and vertical angles precisely, essential for
triangulation and property surveys.
6. In GPS surveying, the term “PDOP” refers to:
A) Point Density of Points
B) Position Dilution of Precision
C) Planned Data Observation Protocol
D) Projected Distance of Points
PDOP indicates the geometric strength of satellite configuration; lower
PDOP values yield more accurate positions.
7. When calculating the area of an irregular parcel, the preferred method is:
A) Length × Width
B) Trigonometry
C) Coordinate method (surveyor’s formula)
D) Scale approximation
, The coordinate (or surveyor’s) formula allows precise computation of
polygonal areas using surveyed coordinates.
8. A traverse is adjusted primarily to:
A) Establish easements
B) Reduce closure error
C) Find benchmark elevations
D) Locate utilities
Traverse adjustment corrects for measurement errors to ensure that the
start and end points coincide as accurately as possible.
9. The main cause of systematic errors in surveying is:
A) Human reading mistakes
B) Instrument calibration or misalignment
C) Random environmental effects
D) Atmospheric refraction
Systematic errors are predictable and repeatable, often due to instrument
imperfections or calibration issues.
10.Which of the following is considered a physical monument in boundary
surveying?
A) Property deed
B) Iron pin
C) Survey plat
D) Map scale
Physical monuments, like iron pins or concrete markers, are tangible objects
used to mark property corners.
11.The bearing of a line in surveying refers to:
A) Its length
B) Its slope
C) Its direction relative to north or south
D) Its elevation change
Bearings indicate the direction of a line from a reference meridian, usually
north or south.
12.Which is NOT a requirement for Georgia land surveyor licensure?
A) Passing the FS exam
B) Completing experience hours under a PLS
C) Holding a civil engineering degree
D) Passing the Georgia-specific exam
, Georgia does not require a civil engineering degree; experience under a
licensed PLS is mandatory instead.
13.When retracing an old survey, discrepancies are often resolved by:
A) Using the newest plat exclusively
B) Following the deed and physical monuments
C) Relying on GIS data
D) Contacting neighboring surveyors only
Deeds and monuments legally define boundaries; retracement prioritizes
these over modern maps or calculations.
14.What type of error is random and cannot be fully corrected?
A) Systematic
B) Accidental (Random)
C) Instrument
D) Calibration
Random errors arise from unpredictable sources like wind or human
reaction; they can only be minimized statistically.
15.In leveling, the difference in elevation between two points is called:
A) Benchmark
B) Rise or fall
C) Contour interval
D) Grade
Rise or fall represents the vertical distance gained or lost between two
survey points.
16.The purpose of a traverse closure calculation is to:
A) Determine property taxes
B) Adjust plats
C) Verify accuracy of measured angles and distances
D) Locate benchmarks
Closure calculations ensure that a traverse starts and ends at the same
point, confirming measurement accuracy.
17.A curve in a roadway survey is defined by:
A) Only the radius
B) Radius, delta angle, and length
C) Tangent length only
D) Alignment coordinates only
Horizontal curves require radius, central angle (delta), and arc length to
fully define their geometry.
Questions with Answers & Detailed Explanations |
INSTANT PDF DOWNLOAD
Introduction
The Georgia Land Surveyor License Exam requires a strong understanding of boundary law,
surveying principles, instruments, and field procedures. This practice exam contains 200
carefully designed questions, divided into four batches of 50 questions each, covering all
critical areas tested by the Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land
Surveyors.
Each question includes the correct answer in bold and a detailed explanation in italics to help
you understand the rationale behind it, not just memorize answers. Topics include:
Boundary surveys and retracement
Topographic and subdivision surveys
Geodetic and control surveys
Curve and traverse computations
GPS and total station operations
Legal descriptions, deeds, and monumentation
Leveling, elevations, and surveying instruments
This guide is designed to simulate real exam conditions, reinforce your knowledge, and build
confidence so you can pass the exam and begin your professional career as a licensed land
surveyor in Georgia.
1. What is the main purpose of a benchmark in surveying?
A) Boundary marker
B) Control monument
C) Reference elevation point
D) Property corner
Benchmarks are fixed reference points with known elevation, used to ensure
consistency in leveling and vertical measurements across surveys.
2. Which coordinate system is commonly used in Georgia for state plane
surveys?
A) Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)
B) Georgia State Plane Coordinate System
C) Geographic coordinate system
, D) Mercator projection
Georgia surveys use the State Plane Coordinate System to provide high
accuracy in mapping and legal descriptions within the state.
3. The legal description “metes and bounds” primarily uses:
A) Coordinates and elevations
B) Distances and directions
C) Parcel numbers
D) Street addresses
Metes and bounds describe property boundaries using bearings, distances,
and physical landmarks.
4. In boundary retracement, which document is most authoritative?
A) Plat map
B) Surveyor notes
C) Deed
D) Tax map
Deeds are legal documents defining property ownership and take
precedence over other references in boundary determinations.
5. Which instrument measures horizontal angles accurately in the field?
A) Level
B) Tape
C) Theodolite
D) GPS receiver
A theodolite measures horizontal and vertical angles precisely, essential for
triangulation and property surveys.
6. In GPS surveying, the term “PDOP” refers to:
A) Point Density of Points
B) Position Dilution of Precision
C) Planned Data Observation Protocol
D) Projected Distance of Points
PDOP indicates the geometric strength of satellite configuration; lower
PDOP values yield more accurate positions.
7. When calculating the area of an irregular parcel, the preferred method is:
A) Length × Width
B) Trigonometry
C) Coordinate method (surveyor’s formula)
D) Scale approximation
, The coordinate (or surveyor’s) formula allows precise computation of
polygonal areas using surveyed coordinates.
8. A traverse is adjusted primarily to:
A) Establish easements
B) Reduce closure error
C) Find benchmark elevations
D) Locate utilities
Traverse adjustment corrects for measurement errors to ensure that the
start and end points coincide as accurately as possible.
9. The main cause of systematic errors in surveying is:
A) Human reading mistakes
B) Instrument calibration or misalignment
C) Random environmental effects
D) Atmospheric refraction
Systematic errors are predictable and repeatable, often due to instrument
imperfections or calibration issues.
10.Which of the following is considered a physical monument in boundary
surveying?
A) Property deed
B) Iron pin
C) Survey plat
D) Map scale
Physical monuments, like iron pins or concrete markers, are tangible objects
used to mark property corners.
11.The bearing of a line in surveying refers to:
A) Its length
B) Its slope
C) Its direction relative to north or south
D) Its elevation change
Bearings indicate the direction of a line from a reference meridian, usually
north or south.
12.Which is NOT a requirement for Georgia land surveyor licensure?
A) Passing the FS exam
B) Completing experience hours under a PLS
C) Holding a civil engineering degree
D) Passing the Georgia-specific exam
, Georgia does not require a civil engineering degree; experience under a
licensed PLS is mandatory instead.
13.When retracing an old survey, discrepancies are often resolved by:
A) Using the newest plat exclusively
B) Following the deed and physical monuments
C) Relying on GIS data
D) Contacting neighboring surveyors only
Deeds and monuments legally define boundaries; retracement prioritizes
these over modern maps or calculations.
14.What type of error is random and cannot be fully corrected?
A) Systematic
B) Accidental (Random)
C) Instrument
D) Calibration
Random errors arise from unpredictable sources like wind or human
reaction; they can only be minimized statistically.
15.In leveling, the difference in elevation between two points is called:
A) Benchmark
B) Rise or fall
C) Contour interval
D) Grade
Rise or fall represents the vertical distance gained or lost between two
survey points.
16.The purpose of a traverse closure calculation is to:
A) Determine property taxes
B) Adjust plats
C) Verify accuracy of measured angles and distances
D) Locate benchmarks
Closure calculations ensure that a traverse starts and ends at the same
point, confirming measurement accuracy.
17.A curve in a roadway survey is defined by:
A) Only the radius
B) Radius, delta angle, and length
C) Tangent length only
D) Alignment coordinates only
Horizontal curves require radius, central angle (delta), and arc length to
fully define their geometry.
