Rectangular Survey System Real Estate Definition A Metes and Bounds survey may read something like commencing from the large apple tree 1 mile to the north, west along the river bed. Every fourth township line is called a correction line, and every fourth range line is called a guide meridian. Sections also are numbered consecutively. Also known as the rectangular survey system or public land survey system, the government survey system refers to a federal land survey system that uses (north and south lines) meridians and (east and west lines) base lines. Since nothing is perfect, some sections of land ended up being larger or smaller than they should. The numbering changes directions in the third tier from right to left. The rectangular survey system is based on principal meridians and base lines determined by precise scientific measurements. For example, a Bound could be a road, tree, river, or large rock. Accretion, Avulsion & Reliction: Definition & Effects, Extent of Ownership and Real Property: Air, Surface & Subsurface, Real Property vs. Real Estate | Concepts, Terms & Differences. True of False - When land is mapped on the rectangular survey system, you locate the parcel by reading the directions from left to right. They are often combined to create a more accurate map of property boundaries. Since townships are six miles north to south and six miles east to west, each township is 36 square miles. For example, you would say it is in township 3 north, range 5 east to identify a property. Discover what the Rectangular Survey System is, where it is usually used, and its main purpose. Putting the above description into words is half of a quarter section. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The real estate exam probably wont ask you what states use the Metes and Bounds system or the Rectangular Survey System, but they may ask you which system your state uses. The range and township lines create a 36-square-mile area called a township. The second set of lines are called baselines and run east and west. The first sets of lines respectively are called principal meridians, which run north and south, and baselines, which run east and west. The Lot and Block System has a map showing lot dimensions approved by the Board of County Commissioners. For example, a Bound could be a road, tree, river, or large rock. [/caption]\r\n

Each half or quarter section can be further subdivided into halves and quarters. It is primarily used throughout the United States with the exception of the thirteen colonies, which was surveyed by the metes and bound method . He teaches pre-licensing and continuing education courses for salespeople, brokers, and appraisers. Using principal meridians and baselines as points of reference, land areas are divided by two kinds of lines, township lines and range lines. (This description refers to a 10-acre parcel of land. The lot and block survey system is a method used in the United States and Canada to locate and identify land, particularly for lots in densely populated metropolitan areas, suburban areas, and exurbs. Correction lines occur at every fourth township line or every 24 miles north and south of the baseline. That means it is 3 townships north of the baseline and 5 townships east of the principal meridian. Each one is distinguished by a different name and number and has an intersecting baseline. Rectangular Government Survey System The rectangular government survey system -also known as the Public Land Survey [/caption]\r\n\r\nEach section of 640 acres can be divided into halves and quarters called, get this, half sections and quarter sections. The government rectangular survey method is a legal description for land. They are the starting points for describing a propertys boundaries. Township lines, which run east and west, parallel to baselines, are horizontal parallel lines that form township tiers. A township in this system can be both a line and the square of land created by the township lines and range lines. Quadrangles have an area of 576 square miles, more or less, and are divided into 16 townships.\r\n \t

Townships: The divisions of a quadrangle, townships, are six miles square (six miles on each side) and are delineated by township lines. The legal description includes the state name, the meridian name, the township and range directions, and usually the section number. Youre likely to see at least a few questions on the real estate license exams on calculating the area of part of a section, and youll also see questions about terminology and some of the measurements that the rectangular survey system uses. The section in the bottom left corner, the southwest corner, is section 36. Definition of "Rectangular survey". Congress created it in 1785 as a more straightforward, faster and more accurate way to identify land. The government survey system divides the country into a huge grid using principal meridians that run north to south and baselines that run east to west. The Public Land Survey System is the surveying method developed and used in the United States to plat, or divide, real property for sale and settling. The Base Line in United States Rectangular Survey System meets its principal meridian at the point of origin, or initial point, for the survey of the land. Metes and bounds were used as the primary survey method before 1785 and were fairly inaccurate, especially before GPS technology. He decided to install sewer and underground electric for the entire subdivision, because he thinks that he will easily recoup his initial infrastructure investment. 1. Chapter 1: Rectangular Survey System Flashcards | Quizlet Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. It is known that Jefferson proposed a rectangular survey system, although his system was based on the decimal system -- townships 10 miles by 10 miles. Think about two more lines running up and down the page on top of the first two lines, also about an inch apart. The lines are spaced 24 miles apart, creating squares that are around 576 square miles. Dont Miss: Small Business Loan Government Programs. Definition Of Government Rectangular Survey In Real Estate Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons. Also Check: Government Regulations For Nonprofit Organizations. The first is the Metes and Bounds surveythe second is the Rectangular Survey System, also known as the Government Survey System or Public Lands Survey System. PLSS The Public Land Survey System is a way of subdividing and describing land in the United States. Township lines run east and west and are also found six miles apart. Those states are: An error occurred trying to load this video. Each township is further divided into 36 sections of one square mile each, or 640 acres, by horizontal and vertical section lines. Dont Miss: American Government A Brief Introduction. The townships are consecutively numbered by their location within the intersection of multiple range lines and township lines. Doing the math, its 1/2 1/4 640 = 80 acres.

\r\n\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274746\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"] A quarter section can be split into smaller parts. That could be further divided into quarters, such as the northwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 18 of a township would be 40 acres. It will serve as the basis for surveys of government in a specified area under its jurisdiction. The township and range definition of a parcel of land, then, is its location in relation to the township and range lines. You need to know what these lines are called and how they intersect for your real estate license exam. Half sections have an area of 320 acres. (The figure below shows a variety of divisions in a quarter section. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Standard Parallels are also called as correction lines for the meridians to compensate for the curvature of the earth. Adding that to the description results in a more specific parcel of land: The NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 18, Township 5 South, Range 4 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Missouri. The earths curvature led to the creation of additional lines called Guide Meridians that is perpendicular to the baseline. The PLSS is actually a series of surveys that divide land into townships that are six miles. Base lines A system of fractional sections and government lots are parts of standard practice to account for these discrepancies.\r\n\r\nSo how does the system describe land? [/caption]\r\n\r\nEach section of 640 acres can be divided into halves and quarters called, get this, half sections and quarter sections. As the United States grew from its original 13 colonies, a system was needed to identify who owned what land. In other words, after section number 6, it drops down to 7 on the next tier then goes left to right to number 12. This system divides the country using 37 principal meridians that run north and south and baselines that run east and west. Specific directional references are needed in the actual description to locate a particular piece of property, but for finding out how large a particular piece of property is, only the fractions matter.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_274747\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"556\"] Sections can be divided in a variety of ways, including quarters and smaller sections. Also Check: Government To Forgive Student Loan Debt. The numbering continues directly beneath the sixth section, except that it progresses from left to right on the second tier. The principal meridians and baselines are based respectively on lines of longitude and latitude.\r\n\r\nYoure likely to see at least a few questions on the real estate license exams on calculating the area of part of a section, and youll also see questions about terminology and some of the measurements that the rectangular survey system uses. Quiz & Worksheet - Rectangular Survey System | Study.com The Rectangular Survey System is a grid system of townships and sections that is used to divide the land into manageable units. Because the rectangular or government survey system was instituted when the United States was a new country, it was used to describe most of the land west of the original 13 colonies, so most of you are likely to see some questions about this system.\r\n\r\nLongitude and latitude are imaginary lines that divide the earth through the north and south poles (longitude) and run parallel with the equator (latitude). So, you can refer to the south (S) 1/2 of the northwest (NW) 1/4 of a section in a township, for example. Note that the more detailed legal descriptions usually begin with the smallest area and work to the largest. According to historian Matthew Dennis, this rectangular survey system allowed the leaders of the young government to apply their "nationalistic, scientific, and engineering mentality in transforming the continental landscape of North America, reconceptualizing its space, subduing and organizing it, and distributing it to white yeoman farmers in Section 1 within any township is always located at the upper right or northeast corner of the township. Township lines run parallel to the baseline, from east to west, defining how far north and south of the baseline a township is located. Real Property Ownership Flashcards | Quizlet The section in the uppermost northeast corner of a township is section 1. Using the Fifth Principal Meridian in Missouri, the description would look like this: The W 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 14, Township 2 South, Range 3 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian, Missouri. [/caption]\r\n\r\nA full rectangular survey system property description might read:\r\n

The SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 6, Township 4 South, Range 5, East of the Third Principal Meridian. The following is a list of helpful terms:\r\n

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• Quadrangles: The basic squares of land of the rectangular survey system, quadrangles (also government checks, or just checks) are 24 miles square (that means each side is 24 miles long) and are delineated by a principal meridian and a baseline. Rectangular (Government) Survey System Definition - Boston Pads It is sometimes referred to as the recorded plat survey system, or the recorded map survey system. But the final plan included subdivision of the lands into townships, then into sections and further into aliquot parts. RECTANGULAR GOVERNMENT SURVEY SYSTEM 1 Flashcards | Quizlet An area bounded on two sides by guide meridians and on the other two sides by correction lines is called a government check, check, or quadrangle, which is 24 miles square, meaning each of its boundaries is 24 miles long. You got it: Tic tac toe. This system has also become known as the rectangular survey system and geodetic survey system.. ","hasArticle":false,"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/authors/9566"}}],"_links":{"self":"https://dummies-api.dummies.com/v2/books/282532"}},"collections":[],"articleAds":{"footerAd":"
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