NICET - Highway Construction
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
What does NICET stand for? -
correct answer ✅National Institute for Certification and
Engineering Technologies
What is surveying? -
correct answer ✅Surveying is the determination of relative
location of points on or near the surface of the earth; the art of
measuring horizonal and vertical distances between terrestrial
objects, measuring angles between terrestrial lines, determining
the direction of lines, and establishing points by predetermined
angular and linear measurements.
Plane Survey -
correct answer ✅Surveys for which the curvature of the Earth is
ignored and measurements are treated as if taken on a plane
surface.
Geodetic Survey -
correct answer ✅Surveys to determine relative positions of widely
spaced points which require consideration of the size and shape of
the Earth.
,NICET - Highway Construction
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
What equipment might be used for plane surveying? -
correct answer ✅Laser level, tripod, steel tape
Name three things levels are used for. -
correct answer ✅Set slope stakes, check level of forms, and field
elevation/grades;
Define survey rod -
correct answer ✅reads like a tape measure; it allows the surveyor
to record an observed number so that an elevation can be
determined; there are many different styles of survey rods, they
typically read in tenths of a foot
Define plumb bob -
correct answer ✅object used to establish a survey instrument
above a specific point; also used to calculate horizontal distances
over sloping ground in conjunction with a surveying tape
Define vernier -
correct answer ✅object used to determine the subdivision of the
smallest division of a scale
,NICET - Highway Construction
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
Define steel tape -
correct answer ✅used to measure distance (a flexible ruler);rarely
used anymore due to advances in tech; if used, corrections for
temperature may have to be made (steel expands and contracts
with changes in temperature)
Define transit -
correct answer ✅transits and levels are not the pieces of
equipment and cannot be confused; a transit can be tilted vertically
to measure vertical angles
Can the term and level be used synonymously? -
correct answer ✅No, they cannot, a transit can be tilted vertically
to measure vertical angles
What are plumb bobs and surveyor's tape used to measure? -
correct answer ✅plumb bobs are used to establish a survey
instrument above a specific point or to calculate horizontal
distances over sloping ground in conjunction with a surveying tape
, NICET - Highway Construction
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
When looking through a level, what are the four different hair lines
that you will see called? -
correct answer ✅Upper stadia, middle cross, lower stadia, vertical
cross
Define bench mark -
correct answer ✅Bench marks are fixed points where an exact
elevation is known; can be permanent or temporary
Define hub -
correct answer ✅wooden objects used to identify finished grade
(also known as blue tops)
Define stake -
correct answer ✅wooden objects typically used for ROW (right of
way) slopes and structure identification
Define fill stake -
correct answer ✅a stake that indicates the ground at the stake
location needs to be raised with additional material to reach the
required grade
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
What does NICET stand for? -
correct answer ✅National Institute for Certification and
Engineering Technologies
What is surveying? -
correct answer ✅Surveying is the determination of relative
location of points on or near the surface of the earth; the art of
measuring horizonal and vertical distances between terrestrial
objects, measuring angles between terrestrial lines, determining
the direction of lines, and establishing points by predetermined
angular and linear measurements.
Plane Survey -
correct answer ✅Surveys for which the curvature of the Earth is
ignored and measurements are treated as if taken on a plane
surface.
Geodetic Survey -
correct answer ✅Surveys to determine relative positions of widely
spaced points which require consideration of the size and shape of
the Earth.
,NICET - Highway Construction
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
What equipment might be used for plane surveying? -
correct answer ✅Laser level, tripod, steel tape
Name three things levels are used for. -
correct answer ✅Set slope stakes, check level of forms, and field
elevation/grades;
Define survey rod -
correct answer ✅reads like a tape measure; it allows the surveyor
to record an observed number so that an elevation can be
determined; there are many different styles of survey rods, they
typically read in tenths of a foot
Define plumb bob -
correct answer ✅object used to establish a survey instrument
above a specific point; also used to calculate horizontal distances
over sloping ground in conjunction with a surveying tape
Define vernier -
correct answer ✅object used to determine the subdivision of the
smallest division of a scale
,NICET - Highway Construction
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
Define steel tape -
correct answer ✅used to measure distance (a flexible ruler);rarely
used anymore due to advances in tech; if used, corrections for
temperature may have to be made (steel expands and contracts
with changes in temperature)
Define transit -
correct answer ✅transits and levels are not the pieces of
equipment and cannot be confused; a transit can be tilted vertically
to measure vertical angles
Can the term and level be used synonymously? -
correct answer ✅No, they cannot, a transit can be tilted vertically
to measure vertical angles
What are plumb bobs and surveyor's tape used to measure? -
correct answer ✅plumb bobs are used to establish a survey
instrument above a specific point or to calculate horizontal
distances over sloping ground in conjunction with a surveying tape
, NICET - Highway Construction
Inspection Basic Exam Questions &
Answers (Grade A+)
When looking through a level, what are the four different hair lines
that you will see called? -
correct answer ✅Upper stadia, middle cross, lower stadia, vertical
cross
Define bench mark -
correct answer ✅Bench marks are fixed points where an exact
elevation is known; can be permanent or temporary
Define hub -
correct answer ✅wooden objects used to identify finished grade
(also known as blue tops)
Define stake -
correct answer ✅wooden objects typically used for ROW (right of
way) slopes and structure identification
Define fill stake -
correct answer ✅a stake that indicates the ground at the stake
location needs to be raised with additional material to reach the
required grade
