California Real Estate Principles Exam
Questions and Answers Graded A+
What's a township? - Correct answer-A 36-square-mile square formed in the use of
the rectangular government survey system
When looking at a rectangular government survey system map, where would
Section 36 be located? - Correct answer-The southeastern-most section of the
township
Richard is interested in purchasing some rural land and included outbuildings.
When reviewing the legal description, he sees the name of a principal meridian.
What type of legal description is this? - Correct answer-Rectangular government
survey
Which type of survey system is also known as the public land survey system
(PLSS)? - Correct answer-Rectangular government survey
Kelvin isn't sure how to read this legal description, but his agent said something
about reading it from right to left. Here's the description: "The north half of the
northwest quarter of Section 6, Township 8 north, Range 68 west of the 5th
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,principal meridian. What land description method did surveyors use for this piece
of property? - Correct answer-Rectangular government survey
What's a principal meridian? - Correct answer-A north-south line used as a
reference point in the rectangular government survey system
What's a datum? - Correct answer-A point, surface, or line used as a reference for
measuring elevations
Datums and benchmarks are used for ______. - Correct answer-Measuring
elevations
What is the starting point for any land surveyor who has been asked to perform a
survey? - Correct answer-A review of existing historical records
Which of these is usually a brass marker that is used to mark a datum? - Correct
answer-Benchmark
What's the permanent marker used primarily for marking datums when measuring
elevation? - Correct answer-Benchmark
A lot measuring 108,900 square feet is for sale. How many acres is this? - Correct
answer-Two-and-a-half
How large is this area of a rectangular survey: The SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of the NE
1/4 of section 6 in a township? - Correct answer-10 acres
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,How long is a mile? - Correct answer-5,280 feet
How many square feet are in an acre? - Correct answer-43,560 square feet
When action is brought against the government when its police powers have
caused an adjacent land owner's property to decrease in value, it is called ______. -
Correct answer-Inverse condemnation
When the planning board gets together, Carl focuses on commercial aspects, Renee
focuses on residential areas, and Arthur focuses on agricultural spaces—all without
any insight from one another. What type of planning is this? - Correct answer-
Traditional planning
Which act prevents the fraudulent sale of property, sight unseen, through the
regulation of land sales across state lines? - Correct answer-Interstate Land Sales
Full Disclosure Act
Can police power ever be used in a way that restricts citizens' freedom? - Correct
answer-Yes, if it's for the public good.
A ______ is created after a master plan is adopted. It provides more detailed
information and aids in the implementation of the master plan. - Correct answer-
specific plan
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, What is a general plan? - Correct answer-A long-term master plan for the
development of a city or county.
At what level are budgeting, site plan review, and building codes controlled? -
Correct answer-Local
The Druid Hills neighborhood sits firmly within a single-family residential zoning
area. Most of the lots are a third of an acre or larger. A 20-acre parcel on the edge
of the neighborhood was recently sold. The buyer is a developer who wants to
build condominium flats, as multi-family housing is in short supply. The town is
considering rezoning that parcel because the developer plans to also include a
public park and a walking trail. What kind of zoning is this? - Correct answer-
Incentive zoning
Your clients, the Harpers, live in an Area B that's adjacent to Area C; Area C was
recently downzoned. If the Harpers believe the rezoning has harmed their property
values, what can they do? - Correct answer-File a claim of inverse condemnation.
FAR, or floor-to-area ratio, includes ______. - Correct answer-All of the habitable
structures on a lot
One area of town has maximum building height requirements and setbacks for the
front, side, and rear yards. These requirements are all indicative of ______. -
Correct answer-Bulk zoning
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Questions and Answers Graded A+
What's a township? - Correct answer-A 36-square-mile square formed in the use of
the rectangular government survey system
When looking at a rectangular government survey system map, where would
Section 36 be located? - Correct answer-The southeastern-most section of the
township
Richard is interested in purchasing some rural land and included outbuildings.
When reviewing the legal description, he sees the name of a principal meridian.
What type of legal description is this? - Correct answer-Rectangular government
survey
Which type of survey system is also known as the public land survey system
(PLSS)? - Correct answer-Rectangular government survey
Kelvin isn't sure how to read this legal description, but his agent said something
about reading it from right to left. Here's the description: "The north half of the
northwest quarter of Section 6, Township 8 north, Range 68 west of the 5th
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,principal meridian. What land description method did surveyors use for this piece
of property? - Correct answer-Rectangular government survey
What's a principal meridian? - Correct answer-A north-south line used as a
reference point in the rectangular government survey system
What's a datum? - Correct answer-A point, surface, or line used as a reference for
measuring elevations
Datums and benchmarks are used for ______. - Correct answer-Measuring
elevations
What is the starting point for any land surveyor who has been asked to perform a
survey? - Correct answer-A review of existing historical records
Which of these is usually a brass marker that is used to mark a datum? - Correct
answer-Benchmark
What's the permanent marker used primarily for marking datums when measuring
elevation? - Correct answer-Benchmark
A lot measuring 108,900 square feet is for sale. How many acres is this? - Correct
answer-Two-and-a-half
How large is this area of a rectangular survey: The SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of the NE
1/4 of section 6 in a township? - Correct answer-10 acres
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,How long is a mile? - Correct answer-5,280 feet
How many square feet are in an acre? - Correct answer-43,560 square feet
When action is brought against the government when its police powers have
caused an adjacent land owner's property to decrease in value, it is called ______. -
Correct answer-Inverse condemnation
When the planning board gets together, Carl focuses on commercial aspects, Renee
focuses on residential areas, and Arthur focuses on agricultural spaces—all without
any insight from one another. What type of planning is this? - Correct answer-
Traditional planning
Which act prevents the fraudulent sale of property, sight unseen, through the
regulation of land sales across state lines? - Correct answer-Interstate Land Sales
Full Disclosure Act
Can police power ever be used in a way that restricts citizens' freedom? - Correct
answer-Yes, if it's for the public good.
A ______ is created after a master plan is adopted. It provides more detailed
information and aids in the implementation of the master plan. - Correct answer-
specific plan
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, What is a general plan? - Correct answer-A long-term master plan for the
development of a city or county.
At what level are budgeting, site plan review, and building codes controlled? -
Correct answer-Local
The Druid Hills neighborhood sits firmly within a single-family residential zoning
area. Most of the lots are a third of an acre or larger. A 20-acre parcel on the edge
of the neighborhood was recently sold. The buyer is a developer who wants to
build condominium flats, as multi-family housing is in short supply. The town is
considering rezoning that parcel because the developer plans to also include a
public park and a walking trail. What kind of zoning is this? - Correct answer-
Incentive zoning
Your clients, the Harpers, live in an Area B that's adjacent to Area C; Area C was
recently downzoned. If the Harpers believe the rezoning has harmed their property
values, what can they do? - Correct answer-File a claim of inverse condemnation.
FAR, or floor-to-area ratio, includes ______. - Correct answer-All of the habitable
structures on a lot
One area of town has maximum building height requirements and setbacks for the
front, side, and rear yards. These requirements are all indicative of ______. -
Correct answer-Bulk zoning
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
