Government Survey "Check" Contained 16 Townships

How many townships are contained in a government survey "check"?

a) 9 townships

b) 16 townships

c) 25 townships

d) 36 townships

A government survey "check" contains 16 townships

Answer:

A government survey "check" contains 16 townships, as a check is 24 miles on each side and each township is 6 miles on each side, allowing for four townships to fit on one side of a check. The correct answer to the question is b.

The term township in the context of a government survey, such as the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) used in the United States, refers to a unit of land that is approximately 6 miles on each side. A check, also known as a checkerboard, is a larger division of the PLSS that is used to reconcile errors and discrepancies arising from the surveying process.

In this system, a check typically encompasses an area that is 24 miles on each side. This would contain 16 townships, as each township is a square with sides of 6 miles, meaning four townships fit on one side of a check. There are therefore 4 x 4 = 16 townships within one check.