Fundamentals of Surveying (FS) Practice Exam

Which call among conflicting descriptions has the second highest priority?

1. Call for an artificial monument

2. Call for distance

3. Call for a natural monument

4. Call for course

The correct answer is: Call for an artificial monument

In the context of resolving conflicting descriptions in land surveying, the hierarchy of priority typically follows a standard based on the types of descriptions. The correct choice, which pertains to a call for an artificial monument, is significant because monuments are physical markers that clearly define boundaries or corners in a surveyed area. Artificial monuments, such as concrete posts or other manmade objects, are given high precedence in determining boundaries, as they provide tangible evidence of the surveyed parameters. When conflicts arise, calls for artificial monuments rank high because they usually relate to established and recognizable points that can be physically inspected and verified. In survey law, the prioritization generally places monuments—both natural and artificial—above distances and courses because they are the actual physical points that surveys are referencing. In this framework, calls for artificial monuments would take precedence over calls for distance, which is more abstract and can vary based on measurement tools and methods. This gives the call for an artificial monument the second-highest priority following natural monuments. Other options like calls for distance and course serve as references to measurement and direction but are less definitive than a physical monument, making them lower in priority when determining the correct boundary in the case of conflicting descriptions.