A legal description method using principal meridians, base lines, townships, and sections to define land.
Why Government (Rectangular) Survey System matters on the exam
This term belongs to Property Ownership. The questions below are real items from Freehold's bank that use it - each one cites its source.
Exam questions using Government (Rectangular) Survey System
Every Freehold question shows why the right answer is right — and cites its source.
In the government (rectangular) survey system, the north-south reference lines are called:
Baselines
Township lines
Principal meridians
Range lines
Show answer & explanation
Principal meridians — Principal meridians are the primary north-south reference lines in the rectangular survey system, intersecting east-west baselines to establish the grid from which townships and ranges are measured.
Source: PSI National Real Estate Exam Content Outline §1 Property Ownership
In the government (rectangular) survey system, the east-west reference line that intersects a principal meridian is called the:
Range line
Township line
Section line
Baseline
Show answer & explanation
Baseline — The baseline is the primary east-west reference line that intersects a principal meridian, and together they form the starting grid used to number townships and ranges.
Source: PSI National Real Estate Exam Content Outline §1 Property Ownership
Which legal description method is generally best suited to accurately describe an irregularly shaped parcel with curving or angled boundaries?
Government (rectangular) survey system
Metes and bounds
Lot and block system
Street address
Show answer & explanation
Metes and bounds — Metes and bounds descriptions can precisely trace irregular, curving, or angled boundaries using specific courses and distances, unlike the rectangular survey or lot and block systems, which rely on standardized grids or plats.
Source: PSI National Real Estate Exam Content Outline §1 Property Ownership
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