Area formulas
Surveying · FE Reference Handbook section
Core formulas for this FE topic
Definitions, applicability, units, assumptions and worked examples for each relation.
Worked exam-style examples
The four ways this section is written on the real exam — thoughts first, then equations, then substitution.
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 1 (h1) = 32.0000 ft; offset 2 (h2) = 43.5000 ft; interval width (w) = 19.0000 ft, determine the area (A) in ft².
Given
Find
area (A), in ft²
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except A is given, so isolate A symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that A stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning A = 717.3 ft² to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 1,435 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 358.6 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 789.0 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 1 (h1) = 42.0000 ft; offset 2 (h2) = 18.0000 ft; area (A) = 1,215 ft², determine the interval width (w) in ft.
Given
Find
interval width (w), in ft
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except w is given, so isolate w symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that w stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning w = 40.5000 ft to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 81.0000 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 20.2500 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 44.5500 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 2 (h2) = 5.0000 ft; interval width (w) = 82.0000 ft; area (A) = 3,198 ft², determine the offset 1 (h1) in ft.
Given
Find
offset 1 (h1), in ft
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except h1 is given, so isolate h1 symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that h1 stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning h1 = 73.0000 ft to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 146.0 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 36.5000 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 80.3000 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 1 (h1) = 47.0000 ft; offset 2 (h2) = 19.0000 ft; interval width (w) = 15.0000 ft, determine the area (A) in ft².
Given
Find
area (A), in ft²
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except A is given, so isolate A symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that A stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning A = 495.0 ft² to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 990.0 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 247.5 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 544.5 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 1 (h1) = 46.5000 ft; offset 2 (h2) = 44.5000 ft; area (A) = 1,078 ft², determine the interval width (w) in ft.
Given
Find
interval width (w), in ft
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except w is given, so isolate w symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that w stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning w = 23.6923 ft to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 47.3846 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 11.8462 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 26.0615 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 2 (h2) = 9.0000 ft; interval width (w) = 37.0000 ft; area (A) = 2,645 ft², determine the offset 1 (h1) in ft.
Given
Find
offset 1 (h1), in ft
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except h1 is given, so isolate h1 symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that h1 stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning h1 = 134.0 ft to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 267.9 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 66.9865 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 147.4 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 1 (h1) = 22.0000 ft; offset 2 (h2) = 19.5000 ft; interval width (w) = 22.0000 ft, determine the area (A) in ft².
Given
Find
area (A), in ft²
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except A is given, so isolate A symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that A stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning A = 456.5 ft² to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 913.0 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 228.3 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 502.2 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 1 (h1) = 27.5000 ft; offset 2 (h2) = 43.0000 ft; area (A) = 1,168 ft², determine the interval width (w) in ft.
Given
Find
interval width (w), in ft
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except w is given, so isolate w symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that w stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning w = 33.1348 ft to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 66.2695 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 16.5674 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 36.4482 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 2 (h2) = 42.0000 ft; interval width (w) = 53.0000 ft; area (A) = 2,777 ft², determine the offset 1 (h1) in ft.
Given
Find
offset 1 (h1), in ft
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except h1 is given, so isolate h1 symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that h1 stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning h1 = 62.7925 ft to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 125.6 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 31.3962 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 69.0717 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas
A surveying problem uses Trapezoidal rule area (single panel). Given offset 1 (h1) = 26.0000 ft; offset 2 (h2) = 13.5000 ft; interval width (w) = 59.0000 ft, determine the area (A) in ft².
Given
Find
area (A), in ft²
Start with the thinking
- The governing relation printed in this handbook section is Trapezoidal rule area (single panel).
- Everything except A is given, so isolate A symbolically first — never rearrange after the numbers are in.
- Tabulate each given with its unit and confirm the units are consistent with the relation before substituting.
- Surveying items reward recognising the unknown before touching a calculator.
Step-by-step solution
Step 1 — State the governing relation:
Step 2 — Rearrange the relation so that A stands alone on the left-hand side.
Step 3
Step 4 — Substitute the given values into the rearranged relation.
Step 5 — Evaluate:
Step 6 — Check: returning A = 1,165 ft² to
reproduces the given quantities, and both sides carry the same units.
Why the other options are there
- 2,331 — kept a factor of two that cancels in the correct rearrangement.
- 582.6 — dropped that same factor in the other direction.
- 1,282 — rounded an intermediate value before the final step.
Reference: FE Reference Handbook — Surveying → Area formulas