What is the exam-ready answer?
| Official syllabus topic | Property Ownership and Real Estate Calculations: land measurement, area, and acreage |
|---|---|
| Official PSI area | Real Estate Calculations |
| Published weight | 7% of the 100-question national portion |
| Source edition | PSI Georgia Candidate Information Bulletin dated July 1, 2026 |
The Rule
PSI publishes a weight for the complete official area, not a guaranteed count for this individual calculation. Follow the stated facts, units, time basis, and rounding instruction.
Formula and variables
| Symbol or term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Linear units | Feet, yards, or miles used for length and perimeter |
| Square units | Square feet, square yards, or square miles used for area |
| Acre | 43,560 square feet |
Step-by-step method
- Draw the shape and label every dimension with its unit.
- Convert dimensions to the same linear unit before multiplying.
- Choose perimeter, rectangle area, triangle area, or a combination of shapes based on the target.
- Convert square feet to acres only after finding total area.
- Report and round in the unit requested by the question.
Georgia-specific distinction
Worked examples
Example 1: Rectangular parcel to acres
Scenario. A rectangular parcel measures 330 feet by 660 feet.
- Area = 330 x 660 = 217,800 square feet.
- Acres = 217,800 / 43,560 = 5.
Answer. The parcel contains 5 acres.
Reasonableness check. A 660-foot square is 10 acres, so a rectangle half as wide is 5 acres.
Example 2: Triangle plus rectangle
Scenario. A site contains a 200-by-300-foot rectangle plus a right triangle with 100-foot base and 80-foot height.
- Rectangle = 200 x 300 = 60,000 square feet.
- Triangle = 100 x 80 / 2 = 4,000 square feet.
- Total = 64,000 square feet.
- Acres = 64,000 / 43,560 = about 1.47 acres.
Answer. The combined site is about 1.47 acres.
Reasonableness check. The triangle adds only 4,000 square feet, so the total should be only slightly above the rectangle's 1.38 acres.
Common exam traps
- Adding length and width when the question asks for area
- Forgetting to divide triangle base times height by two
- Dividing a linear measurement by 43,560
- Mixing feet and yards before multiplying
Original practice questions with detailed explanations
These original instructional questions map to the July 1, 2026 PSI outline. They are not copied from PSI or any live examination. Write the setup before opening the explanation.
Question 1A triangular corner parcel has a 330-foot base and a 264-foot perpendicular height. Using 43,560 square feet per acre, how many acres does it contain?
- A. 0.01 acre
- B. 1 acre
- C. 2 acres
- D. 9 acres
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: B. 1 acre
Triangle area = 330 x 264 / 2 = 43,560 square feet, which is exactly 1 acre. 2 acres comes from forgetting to divide base times height by two. 0.01 acre divides the 594 linear feet of base plus height by 43,560, mixing linear and square units.
Question 2A room is 18 feet by 24 feet. Carpet costs $45 per square yard installed. What is the carpet cost?
- A. $2,160
- B. $3,780
- C. $6,480
- D. $19,440
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: A. $2,160
The room is 432 square feet, and 432 / 9 = 48 square yards, so the cost is 48 x $45 = $2,160. $19,440 prices square feet at the square-yard rate. $6,480 divides by 3 instead of 9, forgetting that a square yard is 3 feet by 3 feet.
Question 3A site is a 180-by-242-foot rectangle plus an adjoining right triangle with a 242-foot base and 180-foot height. Using 43,560 square feet per acre, how many acres is the site?
- A. 1.0 acre
- B. 1.5 acres
- C. 2.0 acres
- D. 13.5 acres
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: B. 1.5 acres
The rectangle is 43,560 square feet and the triangle is 242 x 180 / 2 = 21,780, for 65,340 square feet, or 1.5 acres. 2.0 acres forgets to halve the triangle. 1.0 acre counts only the rectangle.
Ready to move on?
You have this calculation down when all of these are true.
- I distinguish perimeter from area before calculating.
- I convert all dimensions to a common unit.
- I remember 43,560 square feet per acre.
- I can split an irregular diagram into simple shapes.
- I label every final answer with linear, square, or acreage units.
Recommended next lesson
Continue with Appreciation, Depreciation, and Percentage Change. After measuring land in square feet and acres, the next lesson turns to how a property's value changes over time, using the original value as the base for every percentage change.
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