(a) What is farm surveying? (b) (i) List six surveying instruments. (ii) Write short notes on any four surveying instruments listed in (i)

Answer Details

(a) Farm surveying

Farm surveying is the process of measuring, mapping and recording the relative positions, boundaries, sizes, shapes and areas of a piece of farmland, and representing them to scale on paper.

(b) (i) Six surveying instruments

• Measuring (surveyor's) tape
• Ranging pole
• Surveyor's chain (Gunter's chain)
• Prismatic compass
• Theodolite
• Dumpy level (arrows/pins and pegs are also used)

(ii) Short notes on four instruments

• Ranging pole: A straight pole painted in alternate red and white bands. It is used to mark points and to align or range straight lines during a survey.
• Measuring tape: A flexible steel or linen tape graduated in metres. It is used to measure distances between points on the ground.
• Prismatic compass: A small hand-held instrument containing a magnetic needle. It is used to measure the bearings or directions of survey lines.
• Theodolite: A precise instrument mounted on a tripod, used to measure horizontal and vertical angles accurately in detailed surveys.