Real Estate Council of Alberta Fundamentals Practice Exam

Which term describes the longitudinal lines used in rural land legal descriptions?

1. Meridians

2. Sections

3. Parcels

4. Boundaries

The correct answer is: Meridians

The term that describes the longitudinal lines used in rural land legal descriptions is "meridians." In the context of land surveying and legal descriptions, meridians are the principal vertical lines in a rectangular survey system. They serve as reference points for establishing the boundaries of tracts of land, along with parallels, which are the horizontal lines. Meridians are critical in defining the grid system that helps in identifying land parcels in rural areas, facilitating property descriptions by providing a systematic framework. This terminology is important for understanding land divisions and ensuring accurate legal identification of properties. The other options denote different concepts in land description: sections refer to the subdivisions of townships, parcels typically refer to a specific piece of land, and boundaries are the limits defined by legal descriptions but do not specifically refer to the longitudinal lines used in the survey system. Each of these terms plays a role in land description but does not specifically refer to the longitudinal lines as meridians do.