ELEMENTARY

SURVEYING
• Most Probable Value (mpv)
 Most probable value of a group of repeated measurements made under similar conditions is the arithmetic mean or
the average

Example # 1
A surveying instructor sent out six groups of students to measure a distance between two points marked on the ground. The student
came up with the following six different values: 250.25,250.15,249.90, 251.04,250.50,251.22.Assuming this values are equally reliable
and that variations results from accidental errors, determine the most probable value of the distance measured

 Solution:
mpv or x = = (x1+x2+x3+x4+x5+x6)/n = 250.51
Example # 2
 The angles about a point Q have the following observed values. . Determine the most probable value of each angle.

 Solution:  Most Probable Value:

Sum = + + = =
Disc = =
Corr =Disc/n =
=
Example # 3
 The observed interior angles of a triangle are Determine discrepancy for the given observation and the most probable value of
each angle

 Solution:  Most Probable Value:

= A+ B+ C =
A’= A
=(n-2)(180) =
Disc = - =09” B’= B
Corr =Disc/n =03” C’= C

Example # 4
 Measurement of three horizontal angles: determine the most probable values of the angles

 Solution:  Most Probable Value:

= + + = =
Disc = = =
Corr =Disc/n = =
=
Residual
•  most probable value
• Sometimes referred to as deviation, is defined as the difference between any measured value of quantity and its

Probable Error
 • Quantity which when added to and subtracted from the most probable value, defines a range that the true vale of
measured quantity lies inside or outside the limits set.

 =

 =

  where:
= Probable error of any single measurements of series
=Probable error of the mean
= summation of the squares of residuals
n = number of observations