What is the exam-ready answer?
| Official syllabus topic | Property Ownership: Methods used to describe real estate and land-measurement calculations |
|---|---|
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Township | Nominal 6-mile-square survey unit divided into 36 sections |
| Section | Nominal 1-square-mile unit containing 640 acres |
| Aliquot part | A fractional subdivision such as one-half or one-quarter of the parent parcel |
Step-by-step method
- Start with 640 acres for a standard section unless the question states an irregular acreage.
- Apply every fraction in the legal description, one at a time.
- Multiply the denominators for a quick acreage check when all parts are regular fractions.
- Use 36 sections per standard township and 640 acres per square mile for conversions.
- Remember that real surveys can contain correction lots and irregular sections, so the stated acreage controls when supplied.
Georgia-specific distinction
Worked examples
Example 1: Quarter-quarter section
Scenario. Find the nominal acreage in the NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of a standard section.
- Start with 640 acres.
- SW 1/4 = 640 / 4 = 160 acres.
- NE 1/4 of that = 160 / 4 = 40 acres.
Answer. The nominal acreage is 40 acres.
Reasonableness check. One-quarter of one-quarter is one-sixteenth, and 640 / 16 = 40.
Example 2: Township acreage
Scenario. How many nominal acres are in three standard townships?
- One township = 36 sections x 640 acres = 23,040 acres.
- Three townships = 3 x 23,040 = 69,120 acres.
Answer. Three standard townships contain 69,120 nominal acres.
Reasonableness check. Three townships also equal 108 square miles, and 108 x 640 = 69,120.
Common exam traps
- Treating a township as one square mile
- Using 36 acres instead of 36 sections
- Applying only one fraction in a nested aliquot description
- Assuming every real section contains exactly 640 acres despite correction lots or stated irregular acreage
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 1What is the nominal acreage of the NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of a standard section?
- A. 10 acres
- B. 40 acres
- C. 53.3 acres
- D. 160 acres
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: A. 10 acres
Start with 640 acres and apply each quarter: 160, then 40, then 10 acres, the same as 640 / 64. 40 acres applies only two of the three fractions. 53.3 acres adds the denominators to 12 instead of multiplying them to 64.
Question 2Land in the E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of a standard section is priced at $6,000 per acre. What is the total price?
- A. $240,000
- B. $480,000
- C. $960,000
- D. $1,920,000
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: B. $480,000
The NW quarter is 160 acres and its east half is 80 acres, so 80 x $6,000 = $480,000. $960,000 prices the whole quarter and skips the half. $1,920,000 applies only the half to the full 640-acre section.
Question 3A tract is 3 miles long and 2 miles wide. How many standard sections and nominal acres does it contain?
- A. 5 sections and 3,200 acres
- B. 6 sections and 3,840 acres
- C. 10 sections and 6,400 acres
- D. 36 sections and 23,040 acres
Show answer and explanation →
Answer: B. 6 sections and 3,840 acres
The tract is 3 x 2 = 6 square miles, and each square mile is one 640-acre section, so it holds 6 sections and 3,840 acres. 5 sections adds the sides instead of multiplying them. 10 sections uses the perimeter.
Ready to move on?
You have this calculation down when all of these are true.
- I know 36 sections per standard township.
- I know 640 acres per standard section and square mile.
- I can apply multiple aliquot fractions in order.
- I recognize correction lots and irregular acreage as real-world limits.
- I can explain why PLSS is national content rather than Georgia's normal description system.
Recommended next lesson
Continue with T-Bar Method for Real Estate Math. The next lesson gives you one diagram, part over total and rate, that rearranges most percentage formulas once you know which number is the base.
Return to the complete calculation hub, formula sheet, or mixed math drill.