California Real Estate Practice Exam

Base lines run:

1. East and west

2. North and east

3. North and south

4. None of the above

The correct answer is: East and west

The correct response is that baseline surveys run east and west. In the context of land surveying and the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), a baseline serves as the primary reference line. It operates parallel to the equator and is used to create a grid for identifying and locating parcels of land. When combined with principal meridians, which run north and south, the resulting grid system helps in the systematic division and description of land, making it easier to identify property boundaries and facilitate land transactions. This east-west orientation is essential for delineating townships and sections within the surveying system that organizes land for public and private ownership.