Which boundary description system was established by the United States?

• A. Geometric shape
• B. Metes and bounds
• C. Rectangular grid system (39x39km, 24x24m)
• D. Mercator projection

Answer: (C)

The boundary description system used by the United States is the rectangular grid system created for public land surveys. This approach sets up a uniform, grid-based framework to describe land parcels, using lines that run north–south (principal meridians) and east–west (baselines). The grid divides land into townships, each six miles on a side, totaling 36 square miles per township, and further into 36 sections of one square mile each. This structured system makes legal descriptions precise and transferable, since boundaries are defined by fixed coordinates on the grid rather than changing natural features.

Metes and bounds describes land by courses and distances from natural landmarks, which can be ambiguous and change over time. A simple geometric shape description lacks the specificity and legal certainty needed for ownership. Mercator projection is a map projection technique, not a method for describing land boundaries.