FLORIDA BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL
SURVEYORS AND MAPPERS PRINCIPLES OF
SURVEYING EXAM WITH ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS,
PLUS EXPLAINED RATIONALES/EXPERT
VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED 100% PASS
2026/LATEST UPDATE/INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. A total station is used to measure a horizontal angle. The
backsight reading is 42°18′30″ and the foresight reading is
137°46′10″. What is the clockwise horizontal angle?
A. 85°27′40″
B. 95°27′40″
C. 105°27′40″
D. 180°04′40″
Answer: B. 95°27′40″
Rationale: The horizontal angle is obtained by subtracting the
backsight direction from the foresight direction. Thus, 137°46′10″ −
42°18′30″ = 95°27′40″. If the difference had exceeded 360°, the
appropriate angular adjustment would be applied.
2. A 100-ft steel tape is calibrated to 100.00 ft but is found to be
100.015 ft long. A distance is measured as 2,400.00 ft. Ignoring
temperature, sag, and tension, what is the corrected distance?
A. 2,399.64 ft
B. 2,399.85 ft
1
,C. 2,400.36 ft
D. 2,400.15 ft
Answer: C. 2,400.36 ft
Rationale: A tape longer than its nominal length causes the recorded
distance to be too small. The correction factor is actual tape
length/nominal tape length = 100.015/100.000 = 1.00015. Therefore,
corrected distance = 2,400(1.00015) = 2,400.36 ft.
3. A level instrument has a horizontal line of sight and the backsight
reading is 5.284 ft on a benchmark having an elevation of 100.000 ft.
What is the height of instrument?
A. 94.716 ft
B. 100.000 ft
C. 105.284 ft
D. 105.000 ft
Answer: C. 105.284 ft
Rationale: Height of instrument equals known elevation plus
backsight: HI = 100.000 + 5.284 = 105.284 ft. The HI represents the
elevation of the instrument's line of sight, not the physical elevation of
the instrument itself.
4. An elevation is determined using a height of instrument of 250.438
ft and a foresight reading of 7.624 ft. What is the elevation of the
point?
A. 242.814 ft
B. 243.062 ft
C. 258.062 ft
D. 257.814 ft
2
,Answer: A. 242.814 ft
Rationale: Point elevation = HI − FS. Therefore, 250.438 − 7.624 =
242.814 ft. A foresight is subtracted from the height of instrument to
determine the elevation of the observed point.
5. A differential leveling loop begins at a benchmark with an
elevation of 500.000 ft and closes on the same benchmark. The
computed closing elevation is 500.028 ft. What is the misclosure?
A. 0.014 ft
B. 0.028 ft
C. −0.028 ft
D. 0.056 ft
Answer: B. 0.028 ft
Rationale: The known closing elevation is 500.000 ft while the
computed elevation is 500.028 ft. Misclosure = computed − known =
+0.028 ft. The positive sign indicates that the computed closing
elevation is higher than the known elevation.
6. A surveyor observes a horizontal distance of 800 ft and a zenith
angle of 88°. What general relationship exists between the slope
distance and horizontal distance?
A. Slope distance is always less than horizontal distance
B. Slope distance is equal to horizontal distance only when the zenith
angle is 90°
C. Slope distance is always equal to horizontal distance
D. Horizontal distance is always greater than slope distance
Answer: B. Slope distance is equal to horizontal distance only when
the zenith angle is 90°
3
, Rationale: For a zenith angle of 90°, the line is horizontal and slope
distance equals horizontal distance. For an inclined line, the slope
distance is longer than its horizontal projection. The horizontal
distance is obtained by multiplying slope distance by the appropriate
trigonometric factor.
7. A traverse has the following latitude and departure for one
course: latitude = +425.60 ft and departure = −318.20 ft. In which
quadrant does the course lie?
A. Northeast
B. Southeast
C. Southwest
D. Northwest
Answer: D. Northwest
Rationale: A positive latitude indicates north, while a negative
departure indicates west. Therefore, the course lies in the northwest
quadrant.
8. A surveyor needs to determine the azimuth of a line whose
northing difference is +300 ft and easting difference is +400 ft. What
is the approximate azimuth?
A. 36°52′12″
B. 53°07′48″
C. 126°52′12″
D. 306°52′12″
Answer: A. 53°07′48″
Rationale: The line has positive northing and positive easting, placing
it in the northeast quadrant. The angle east of north is arctan(400/300)
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SURVEYORS AND MAPPERS PRINCIPLES OF
SURVEYING EXAM WITH ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS,
PLUS EXPLAINED RATIONALES/EXPERT
VERIFIED FOR GUARANTEED 100% PASS
2026/LATEST UPDATE/INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. A total station is used to measure a horizontal angle. The
backsight reading is 42°18′30″ and the foresight reading is
137°46′10″. What is the clockwise horizontal angle?
A. 85°27′40″
B. 95°27′40″
C. 105°27′40″
D. 180°04′40″
Answer: B. 95°27′40″
Rationale: The horizontal angle is obtained by subtracting the
backsight direction from the foresight direction. Thus, 137°46′10″ −
42°18′30″ = 95°27′40″. If the difference had exceeded 360°, the
appropriate angular adjustment would be applied.
2. A 100-ft steel tape is calibrated to 100.00 ft but is found to be
100.015 ft long. A distance is measured as 2,400.00 ft. Ignoring
temperature, sag, and tension, what is the corrected distance?
A. 2,399.64 ft
B. 2,399.85 ft
1
,C. 2,400.36 ft
D. 2,400.15 ft
Answer: C. 2,400.36 ft
Rationale: A tape longer than its nominal length causes the recorded
distance to be too small. The correction factor is actual tape
length/nominal tape length = 100.015/100.000 = 1.00015. Therefore,
corrected distance = 2,400(1.00015) = 2,400.36 ft.
3. A level instrument has a horizontal line of sight and the backsight
reading is 5.284 ft on a benchmark having an elevation of 100.000 ft.
What is the height of instrument?
A. 94.716 ft
B. 100.000 ft
C. 105.284 ft
D. 105.000 ft
Answer: C. 105.284 ft
Rationale: Height of instrument equals known elevation plus
backsight: HI = 100.000 + 5.284 = 105.284 ft. The HI represents the
elevation of the instrument's line of sight, not the physical elevation of
the instrument itself.
4. An elevation is determined using a height of instrument of 250.438
ft and a foresight reading of 7.624 ft. What is the elevation of the
point?
A. 242.814 ft
B. 243.062 ft
C. 258.062 ft
D. 257.814 ft
2
,Answer: A. 242.814 ft
Rationale: Point elevation = HI − FS. Therefore, 250.438 − 7.624 =
242.814 ft. A foresight is subtracted from the height of instrument to
determine the elevation of the observed point.
5. A differential leveling loop begins at a benchmark with an
elevation of 500.000 ft and closes on the same benchmark. The
computed closing elevation is 500.028 ft. What is the misclosure?
A. 0.014 ft
B. 0.028 ft
C. −0.028 ft
D. 0.056 ft
Answer: B. 0.028 ft
Rationale: The known closing elevation is 500.000 ft while the
computed elevation is 500.028 ft. Misclosure = computed − known =
+0.028 ft. The positive sign indicates that the computed closing
elevation is higher than the known elevation.
6. A surveyor observes a horizontal distance of 800 ft and a zenith
angle of 88°. What general relationship exists between the slope
distance and horizontal distance?
A. Slope distance is always less than horizontal distance
B. Slope distance is equal to horizontal distance only when the zenith
angle is 90°
C. Slope distance is always equal to horizontal distance
D. Horizontal distance is always greater than slope distance
Answer: B. Slope distance is equal to horizontal distance only when
the zenith angle is 90°
3
, Rationale: For a zenith angle of 90°, the line is horizontal and slope
distance equals horizontal distance. For an inclined line, the slope
distance is longer than its horizontal projection. The horizontal
distance is obtained by multiplying slope distance by the appropriate
trigonometric factor.
7. A traverse has the following latitude and departure for one
course: latitude = +425.60 ft and departure = −318.20 ft. In which
quadrant does the course lie?
A. Northeast
B. Southeast
C. Southwest
D. Northwest
Answer: D. Northwest
Rationale: A positive latitude indicates north, while a negative
departure indicates west. Therefore, the course lies in the northwest
quadrant.
8. A surveyor needs to determine the azimuth of a line whose
northing difference is +300 ft and easting difference is +400 ft. What
is the approximate azimuth?
A. 36°52′12″
B. 53°07′48″
C. 126°52′12″
D. 306°52′12″
Answer: A. 53°07′48″
Rationale: The line has positive northing and positive easting, placing
it in the northeast quadrant. The angle east of north is arctan(400/300)
4
