Basic Course, Chapter 4, Question 18

I get a lot of calls on this question. It is one that a student could remember that was on their state exam.

You MUST draw this out on a piece of paper and locate both parcels. (Remember you are looking for the South Boundary)

E 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 and the SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4, Section 10, T22N, R13E, IM. Section 10, T22N R13E, IM tells you that this is a full section of land and it is NOT a government LOT. So we know from the description that we are dealing with a full 640 acre section.

Notice the “and” in the description. That equates to a plus. So the description is referring to two parcels of land. This is what you need to draw out on paper. See the attached file.

First you take a square and divide it into fourths. Then on the first half you locate the SW1/4. You then need to locate the SE1/4 of that SW1/4 so you divide the SW1/4 into fourths. Now we are looking for the E1/2 of that parcel so you draw a vertical line through that parcel and call it Part 1.

Next you need to locate the SE1/4. We are looking for the SW1/4 one-fourth of that so we divide the SE1/4 into fourths. Then in the SW1/4 we can call that Part 2.

Notice how Part 1 is one-fourth of SW ¼ and Part 2 is one-half of the SE1/4. The bottom of the drawing is the South part.

A section is 1 mile by 1 mile and 1 mile is 5,280 feet. The SW1/4 is a half-mile and so is the SE1/4.

So working with the SW1/4 we take a mile and divide it in half.

5280/2=2640. Take the 2640 and divide it into quarters.

2640/4=660. So there is 660 feet along the south boundary of the parcel of land in the SW1/4.

Now we take the SE1/4. The South boundary of that parcel of land is half of that SE1/4. We take that 1 mile and divide it in half.

5280/2=2640. Take the 2640 and divide it in half.

2640/2= 1320. So there is 1320 feet along the South boundary of the parcel of land in the SE1/4.

Now take the 660 and add it to the 1320.