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Horizontal angles from field notes ABCDA (2065)

Short answer

Mean angles: A 60°42′20″, B 98°55′40″, C 82°12′20″, D 118°10′20″. Sum 360°00′40″, error +40″; equal correction -10″ yields A = 60°42′10″, B = 98°55′30″, C = 82°12′10″, D = 118°10′10″.

The following are the field notes of theodolite survey on traverse ABCDA. Compute the horizontal angles and correct them if necessary.

StationSighted toFace LeftFace Right
AD00°00′00″179°59′50″
B60°42′20″240°42′10″
BA00°00′00″180°00′10″
C98°55′40″278°55′50″
CB00°00′10″180°00′00″
D82°12′30″262°12′20″
DC00°00′10″179°59′50″
A118°10′30″298°10′10″

Assumption: closed traverse ABCDA (interior angles), so the sum must be 360°.

Method. For each target the mean direction is found from the two faces:

Mean direction=Face L+(Face R±180∘)2\text{Mean direction} = \frac{\text{Face L} + (\text{Face R} \pm 180^\circ)}{2}

The angle at a station = mean direction of the forward station - mean direction of the back station. For a closed traverse of nn sides, the sum of the interior angles must be (n−2)×180∘(n-2) \times 180^\circ; the difference is the angular error, which is distributed equally among the angles (the angles are measured with the same instrument and care).

Field book and mean angles

Inst. stnSighted toFace LFace RMean directionMean angle
AD00°00′00″179°59′50″359°59′55″
B60°42′20″240°42′10″60°42′15″60°42′20″
BA00°00′00″180°00′10″0°00′05″
C98°55′40″278°55′50″98°55′45″98°55′40″
CB00°00′10″180°00′00″0°00′05″
D82°12′30″262°12′20″82°12′25″82°12′20″
DC00°00′10″179°59′50″0°00′00″
A118°10′30″298°10′10″118°10′20″118°10′20″

Check and adjustment

Required sum = (4−2)×180∘(4-2) \times 180^\circ = 360°00′00″. Observed sum = 360°00′40″. Angular error = 360°00′40″ - 360°00′00″ = +0°00′40″. Correction per angle = -0°00′10″ (equal for all 4 angles).

Angle atMean angleCorrectionCorrected angle
A60°42′20″-0°00′10″60°42′10″
B98°55′40″-0°00′10″98°55′30″
C82°12′20″-0°00′10″82°12′10″
D118°10′20″-0°00′10″118°10′10″
Sum360°00′40″-0°00′40″360°00′00″

Answer: corrected horizontal angles: A = 60°42′10″, B = 98°55′30″, C = 82°12′10″, D = 118°10′10″.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

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