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CEA EXAM REVIEW 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS| ACE
YOUR GRADES.
1. Poorly Graded - correct answer -A soil that does not contain a
good representation of all particle sizes. A poorly graded soil
may contain a narrow range of particle sizes (uniformly graded)
or may not contain one or more ranges of particle sizes (gap
graded).
2. Property Survey - correct answer -A land survey that
establishes property corners, boundaries, and areas of land
parcels. Also called land surveys, cadastral surveys, and
boundary surveys.
3. Rainfall Intensity - correct answer -The ratio of the total amount
of rain (rainfall depth) falling during a given period to the
duration of the period.
4. Retention Pond (Wet Pond) - correct answer -A permanent on-
site pond used to manage storm water in which pollutants are
allowed to settle out or be removed by biological activity.
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5. Return Period - correct answer -The length of time, on average,
over which an event (or an event of greater magnitude) is
expected to occur not more than one time. For example, a
Category 3 hurricane may have a return period of 100 years,
which means that a Category 3 hurricane (or stronger) is
expected to occur no more than one time, on average, within
one hundred years.
6. Rod Intercept - correct answer -The difference between the rod
readings at the stadia wires.
7. Runoff Coefficient - correct answer -A number that indicates
the portion of rainwater that will be discharged by a particular
surface.
8. Stadia - correct answer -Two horizontal cross wires that are
equidistant from the center crosshair in the sight.
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9. Storm Water Wetlands - correct answer -A permanent shallow
pool of diverted rainwater that incorporates wetland plants.
Pollutants are removed through settling and biological activity.
10. Topographic Survey - correct answer -A land survey used to
prepare maps showing location of natural and man-made
features and elevations of points on the ground.
11. Well Graded - correct answer -A soil that displays a good
representation of all particle sizes. For instance, well-graded
sand will contain a fairly even distribution of coarse, medium,
and fine sand.
12. Architectural Programming - correct answer -Research and
decision making process that identifies the scope of work for a
design project.
13. Architectural Program - correct answer -Written statement
setting forth design objectives, constraints, and criteria for a
project, including special requirements and systems, and site
requirements. The program is usually prepared by the architect
with input from the owner regarding the goals, needs, and
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function of the project, design expectations, available budget,
and pertinent building code and zoning regulations.
14. Baseline - correct answer -A parallel of latitude running
through an arbitrary point chosen as the starting point for all
sectionalized land within a given area.
15. Bearing - correct answer -A horizontal direction indicated by
an angle from either due north or due south toward either the
east or west.
16. Benchmark (BM) - correct answer -A relatively permanent
object, natural or artificial, bearing a marked point whose
elevation above or below the adopted datum is known or
assumed.
17. Floor Plan - correct answer -A representation of a building as
seen from above at an imaginary horizontal plane
approximately 4 feet above the floor.
CEA EXAM REVIEW 2026
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS| ACE
YOUR GRADES.
1. Poorly Graded - correct answer -A soil that does not contain a
good representation of all particle sizes. A poorly graded soil
may contain a narrow range of particle sizes (uniformly graded)
or may not contain one or more ranges of particle sizes (gap
graded).
2. Property Survey - correct answer -A land survey that
establishes property corners, boundaries, and areas of land
parcels. Also called land surveys, cadastral surveys, and
boundary surveys.
3. Rainfall Intensity - correct answer -The ratio of the total amount
of rain (rainfall depth) falling during a given period to the
duration of the period.
4. Retention Pond (Wet Pond) - correct answer -A permanent on-
site pond used to manage storm water in which pollutants are
allowed to settle out or be removed by biological activity.
, Page | 2
5. Return Period - correct answer -The length of time, on average,
over which an event (or an event of greater magnitude) is
expected to occur not more than one time. For example, a
Category 3 hurricane may have a return period of 100 years,
which means that a Category 3 hurricane (or stronger) is
expected to occur no more than one time, on average, within
one hundred years.
6. Rod Intercept - correct answer -The difference between the rod
readings at the stadia wires.
7. Runoff Coefficient - correct answer -A number that indicates
the portion of rainwater that will be discharged by a particular
surface.
8. Stadia - correct answer -Two horizontal cross wires that are
equidistant from the center crosshair in the sight.
, Page | 3
9. Storm Water Wetlands - correct answer -A permanent shallow
pool of diverted rainwater that incorporates wetland plants.
Pollutants are removed through settling and biological activity.
10. Topographic Survey - correct answer -A land survey used to
prepare maps showing location of natural and man-made
features and elevations of points on the ground.
11. Well Graded - correct answer -A soil that displays a good
representation of all particle sizes. For instance, well-graded
sand will contain a fairly even distribution of coarse, medium,
and fine sand.
12. Architectural Programming - correct answer -Research and
decision making process that identifies the scope of work for a
design project.
13. Architectural Program - correct answer -Written statement
setting forth design objectives, constraints, and criteria for a
project, including special requirements and systems, and site
requirements. The program is usually prepared by the architect
with input from the owner regarding the goals, needs, and
, Page | 4
function of the project, design expectations, available budget,
and pertinent building code and zoning regulations.
14. Baseline - correct answer -A parallel of latitude running
through an arbitrary point chosen as the starting point for all
sectionalized land within a given area.
15. Bearing - correct answer -A horizontal direction indicated by
an angle from either due north or due south toward either the
east or west.
16. Benchmark (BM) - correct answer -A relatively permanent
object, natural or artificial, bearing a marked point whose
elevation above or below the adopted datum is known or
assumed.
17. Floor Plan - correct answer -A representation of a building as
seen from above at an imaginary horizontal plane
approximately 4 feet above the floor.
