property
rectangular survey system
The rectangular survey system, also called the government survey system or Public Land Survey System, describes land using a grid of principal meridians running north-south and base lines running east-west. Land is divided into townships six miles square, each containing 36 sections of one square mile, or 640 acres. It is used in most western and midwestern states rather than the original eastern colonies.
- Exam tip
- Memorize the math: a township is 36 square miles with 36 sections; a section is 640 acres; a quarter section is 160 acres. Read descriptions from the end backward.
- Example
- The NE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of Section 12 equals 640 x 1/4 x 1/4, or 40 acres.
Related terms & state variants
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Last verified: 2026-10-23