Survey Formula Sheet Builder

Builds a printable formula sheet covering levelling, traverse, trig, area, bearings and scale.

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Choose topics

A study aid — check the formulas against your own course notes. Runs in your browser; nothing is stored.

Your formula sheet

SURVEY FORMULA SHEET

LEVELLING
  Rise & fall: RL = previous RL + rise − fall
  Height of collimation: HPC = RL + BS; RL = HPC − reading
  Check: ΣBS − ΣFS = ΣRise − ΣFall = last RL − first RL

TRAVERSE
  Latitude = distance × cos(bearing)
  Departure = distance × sin(bearing)
  Linear misclose = √(ΣLat² + ΣDep²)
  Closure ratio = perimeter ÷ misclose (1 : X)
  Interior angle sum = (n − 2) × 180°
  Exterior angle sum = (n + 2) × 180°

TRIGONOMETRY / RIGHT TRIANGLE
  Pythagoras: a² + b² = c²
  Horizontal distance = slope × cos(vertical angle)
  Rise = slope × sin(vertical angle)
  tan θ = opposite ÷ adjacent

AREA
  Rectangle: A = b × h
  Triangle: A = ½ × b × h
  By coordinates: A = ½ |Σ(Eᵢ·Nᵢ₊₁ − Eᵢ₊₁·Nᵢ)|
  1 hectare = 10,000 m²

BEARINGS
  Back bearing = forward bearing ± 180°
  Whole-circle ↔ quadrant (reduced) bearing conversion
  Grid bearing = true bearing − grid convergence

SCALE & PRECISION
  Scale 1:X → 1 unit on map = X units on ground
  Ground distance = map distance × scale
  Combined scale factor = grid scale factor × height factor

CIRCLES & CURVES
  Circumference = 2πr
  Arc length = r θ (θ in radians)
  Radians = degrees × π / 180

Before you rely on this: First-pass guide only. Verify safety-critical or regulated work against the relevant standards, your project requirements and a qualified professional.

How to use this calculator

Tick the topics you want on your sheet — levelling, traverse, trig, area, bearings, scale, circles.
Read the assembled formula sheet.
Copy or download it as a text file, then add your own notes.

How it works

The builder gathers the core survey formulas for the topics you select into one tidy sheet, grouped by topic.

It's a study and revision aid — check each formula against your own course notes, and add anything your assessment expects.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use it in an assessment?

Only if open-book notes are permitted by your assessor. It's a study aid, not official course material — verify every formula against your own notes.

Is this official course material?

No. It is free study support mapped to surveying course levels — not official North Metropolitan TAFE content or advice. Always follow your lecturer and the official assessment brief, and check your own working.

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Cite this tool

Zerdly. (2026). Survey Formula Sheet Builder. Retrieved from https://www.zerdly.com/tools/survey-formula-sheet-builder/

Tip: Enter any known values to calculate the remaining results.

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