CST Level 1 Land Surveyor Certification Practice

Which of the following measures would likely result from the application of triangulation?

1. Establishing a point's elevation

2. Creating two known horizontal points

3. Determining a point's horizontal location

4. Calculating land area

The correct answer is: Determining a point's horizontal location

Triangulation is a surveying method used to determine the location of a specific point by forming triangles to it from known points. This technique relies on measuring the angles of the triangle and, along with the lengths of one or more sides, enables the surveyor to calculate the precise horizontal position of the point in question. When angles are measured from two known positions to the unknown point, the horizontal coordinates can be determined accurately, making triangulation particularly valuable for establishing the horizontal location of points within a survey. In contrast, while establishing a point's elevation involves additional vertical measurements usually derived from different techniques, such as leveling, and not specifically triangulation, the creation of known horizontal points often serves as the starting reference but does not describe the triangulation process itself. Calculating land area, while it can be derived from surveyed points, is generally based on the coordinates obtained and not directly a result of triangulation.