Unit 10: Legal Descriptions
point of beginning (POB)
A metes-and-bounds description begins and ends at the ______________ _____ _______________.
F
A survey of real property is a questionnaire about the property's location. T or F?
T
A section contains 640 acres. T or F?
legal description
A series of boundary lines on the earth's surface.
survey
A __________________ is a drawing of a parcel of land showing its boundary lines.
base line
Imaginary lines running east and west and crossing a principal meridian at a definite point; used by surveyors for reference in locating and describing land under the government survey system.
principal meridian
Imaginary lines running north and south and crossing a base line at a definite point; used by surveyors for reference in locating and describing land under the government survey system.
T
Each parcel of land on a tax map is assigned an assessor's parcel number. T or F?
court, law
The purpose of a legal description is to describe a parcel off land with sufficient detail that it will be accepted by a ________________ of ________________.
T
The purpose of a legal description is to specify a particular parcel of land with sufficient detail so that it will be accepted by a court of law. T or F?
S 45 degrees E
What is the opposite of N 45 degrees W?
N 15 degrees W
What is the opposite of S 15 degrees E?
c
What term is used to describe fractional pieces of land less than a full quarter section located along the banks of lakes and streams? A) Check B) Government section C) Government lot D) Partial section
d
Which government office assigns parcel ID numbers to land within a tax district? A) Tax collector B) City commission C) County clerk D) Property appraiser
b
Which method of legal description is used in subdivisions and is contained in recorded plat maps? A) Monuments B) Lot and block C) Government survey D) Metes-and-bounds
F
The section immediately south of Section 2 in a given township is Section 10. T or F?
d
Which partial description describes a vertical strip of land six miles wide that touches where the principal meridian and base line intersect? A) Township 1 East B) Range 2 West C) Township 1 West D) Range 1 East
a
Which range is farthest from the intersection of the principal meridian and the base line? A) R22W B) R1E C) R12E D) R10W
c
Which section is located directly south of section 1? A) 6 B) 16 C) 12 D) 2
F
A check is a square six miles on each side. T or F?
c
A line pointed in the direction opposite North 20 degrees East is A) North 20 degrees West. B) West 20 degrees South. C) South 20 degrees West. D) South 40 degrees East.
metes-and-bounds description
A method of legal description that identifies a property by specifying the shape and boundary dimensions of the parcel. A metes-and-bounds description starts at the point of beginning and follows the boundaries of the land by compass direction and linear measurements and returns to the point of beginning.
assessor's parcel number
A numerical ID assigned to each parcel of land within a tax district used to prepare tax maps.
$0.50
A property costs $21,780 per acre. What is the cost per square foot of the property? Cost per square foot: __________________
F
A property costs $26,136 per acre. Therefore, the property costs $0.75 per square foot. T or F?
b
A property costs $34,848 per acre. What is the cost per square foot of the property? A) $0.50 B) $0.80 C) $0.75 D) $0.35
240
A rectangular property measures 880 yards by 3/4 of a mile. How many acres are contained in the parcel? Acres: _____________________
check
A square measuring 24 miles on each side and representing the largest unit of measure in the government survey system.
township
A square tract of land measuring six miles on each side and including 36 sections (formed by the crossing of range and township lines).
government survey system
A type of land description, developed by the federal government for subdividing lands utilizing surveying lines.
lot and block
A type of legal description of land.
F
An acre contains 44,575 square feet. T or F?
tier
An east-west row of townships (as used in the government survey method of land description).
T
Description of lot and block numbers is a type of legal description. T or F?
F
Each township measures 36 miles on each side. T or F?
d
How many acres are in a parcel described as the SW¼ of the NE¼ and the SE¼ of the S½? A) 5 B) 80 C) 2.5 D) 120
a
How many acres are in a parcel described as the SW¼ of the NE¼ of the SE¼? A) 10 B) 20 C) 5 D) 40
60
How many acres are there in the legal description N 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 and the SE 1/4 of the NW 1/4? Acres: __________________
T
In a metes-and-bound description, metes refers to distance. T or F?
range
In the government survey system of land description, a vertical strip of land six miles wide located between two consecutive submeridians or range lines.
monument
Man-made or natural object used to establish boundaries of land.
distance, direction
Metes refers to _______________ and bounds refers to __________________.
T
North 15 degrees 25 minutes 20 seconds West is written in symbols as N 15⁰ 25′ 20″ W. T or F?
section
One of the primary units of measurement in the government survey system of land description. A section is one mile square and contains 640 acres.
lots, blocks
Platted subdivisions are divided into __________________ and __________________.
T
Range lines run north and south (vertical lines) six miles apart. T or F?
F
Tax maps are based on legal descriptions in recorded deeds. T or F?
plat maps
Tax maps are based on recorded ______________ _____________.
metes-and-bounds
The ________________ method is the oldest method of legal description.
township line
The east-west survey lines located every six miles north and south of the primary base line. Also called a subbaseline.
F
The opposite of N 15⁰ 25′ 20″ W is N 45⁰ 25′ 20″ E. T or F?
survey
The procedure used to measure and describe a specific tract of real property for the purpose of determining exact boundaries and the area contained therein.
point of beginning (POB)
The starting (and ending) place in a land survey using the metes-and-bounds method of property description.
T
There are 130,680 square feet in 3 acres. T or F?
T
There are 20 acres in the legal description S 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of section 10. T or F?
T
To reduce errors and potential liability, real estate licensees should refer to a reliable document for a full and accurate legal description when inserting the legal description into sale contracts. T or F?
F
Township T3S, R2E is located in the second tier south of the base line and the third range east of the principal meridian. T or F?
d
Which description BEST fits if one were to shade in sections 14, 15, 16, and 17 of a township? A) Vertical line B) Diagonal line C) Square D) Rectangle
a
Which direction describes a range? A) Vertical B) Square C) Diagonal D) Horizontal
