Acres in a PLSS section

Acres in a PLSS section

• A. 640 acres
• B. 320 acres
• C. 1280 acres
• D. 80 acres

Answer: (A)

In the Public Land Survey System, a section is a square mile. One mile equals 5,280 feet, so a square mile is 5,280 × 5,280 = 27,878,400 square feet. An acre is 43,560 square feet, so 27,878,400 ÷ 43,560 = 640. Therefore, a PLSS section contains 640 acres. Context: a township is 6 miles on each side, which is 36 sections, so a full township covers 36 × 640 = 23,040 acres. The numbers in the other options correspond to halves or multiples of a section (for example, half a section is 320 acres, two sections is 1,280 acres), but the standard size of a PLSS section is 640 acres.

In the Public Land Survey System, a section is a square mile. One mile equals 5,280 feet, so a square mile is 5,280 × 5,280 = 27,878,400 square feet. An acre is 43,560 square feet, so 27,878,400 ÷ 43,560 = 640. Therefore, a PLSS section contains 640 acres.

Context: a township is 6 miles on each side, which is 36 sections, so a full township covers 36 × 640 = 23,040 acres. The numbers in the other options correspond to halves or multiples of a section (for example, half a section is 320 acres, two sections is 1,280 acres), but the standard size of a PLSS section is 640 acres.