In this course, Tutorial I, we present what we really mean, as surveyors, when we use the term fractional section. We will learn about the federal law (not any state laws that may apply in your locality) that applies when dealing with fractional sections and how and when to apply them. The discussion concludes with specific terms used in the USPLS and definitions that the surveyor must keep in mind. The danger of adopting one of the many common misunderstandings for terms such as fractional, controlling corner, returns and fixed are defined and discussed. Such understanding is essential to be able to move on to other topics such as that discussed in the next tutorial: computing a mean, weighted bearing and how to apply it to completion surveys.
Objectives:
- Learn what fractional section means in the context of a surveying practitioner, so that the learner is able to distinguish what is really meant. This has consequences for the way the measurements and analysis of field evidence is done.
- Understand how federal law applies to this topic, and distinguish it from local (state) laws, both statute and case law that may further modify depending on the situation and the ownership so that mistakes are not made.
- Learn the meaning of terms such as controlling corner, returns and fixed in the context so that the learner can know that discriminating what is actually meant must be often ferreted out before beginning any surveying work. Lack of understanding by those involved, including surveyors, of the terms can lead to incorrect conclusions.
