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GATE 2025 CE (CE1) – Question 26

Geomatics Engineering · Principles of surveying: plane and geodetic surveying, errors and adjustment · 1 mark · Multiple choice

If the horizontal distance between a staff point and the point of observation is $d$, the error due to the curvature of earth is proportional to

  1. $d$
  2. $\frac{1}{d}$
  3. $d^2$
  4. $\frac{1}{d^2}$

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Show answer and explanation

Correct answer: (C) $d^2$

Explanation

The error due to curvature is $c = \frac{d^2}{2R}$, where $R$ is the radius of the earth. So it is proportional to $d^2$.