Fieldwork No.

02
MEASURING AND LAYING OUT HORIZONTAL ANGLES WITH TAPE

Name : Weather :
Group No. : Place :
Designation : Time, Start :
Instructor : End :
Class Schedule :

I. Objectives

To measure horizontal angles with tape.

II. Materials

1 pc - 50-meter tape 5 pcs - marking pins

3 pcs - range poles

III. Procedure

Drive three range poles or pins to define the vertices of a triangle with no side less
than 50 paces and no angle greater than 180 degrees. Designate these points as A, B,
and C. Do not remove any of the range pole or pin set until the entire fieldwork is
completed and the computational check is made.

A. Chord Bisection Method

Measure the interior angle at A by chord bisection method. Layout any convenient
length L along the lines AB and AC. Measure the chord distance bc (or d). The angle
A can be computed as follows:

A d /2
sin =
2 L
 b B
L
d
A/2 2
A d
A/2
L d
2
c C

B. Three Sides Method

Measure the interior angle at B by the three sides method. Layout any convenient
lengths a and c along the lines BC and BA respectively. Measure the distance b. The
angle at B can be computed by using the trigonometric equation,

b2 = a2 + c2 - 2ac cosB

C. Erecting a Perpendicular to a Side

Measure the interior angle at C by erecting a perpendicular to one of its adjacent

sides. Establish a perpendicular from point b (on line CB to the line AC by chord
bisection method. Measure the distance Cb and Ca. The angle at C is then computed
by the relation,

Ca
cos C =
Cb

Remarks:

1. The accuracy of measuring angles with tape depends on the care taken in laying out
lengths and establishing the needed points on the ground.
2. The error in the sum of the computed angles must not be greater than 30 0. If this
is exceeded, the measurements should be repeated.
IV. Findings and Computations
Record all measurements with an accompanying sketch. Take the sum of the computed
interior angles and compare it to the theoretical sum of the interior angles in a
triangle.

V. Conclusion
VI. Sketch