NICET - Highway Construction Inspection Practice Exam

Which of the following is NOT one of the rules of contour lines?

1. All points along the same contour lines are the same elevation

2. Contour lines never cross each other

3. Contour lines indicate legal property boundaries

4. Contour lines never split

The correct answer is: Contour lines indicate legal property boundaries

Contour lines have specific rules that help in interpreting topographic maps, and understanding these principles is crucial for anyone involved in highway construction inspection or related fields. The chosen answer identifies a statement that does not align with the primary function of contour lines on a map. Contour lines represent points of equal elevation. Therefore, all points along a single contour line indicate the same elevation, affirming that option related to the uniformity of elevation is fundamental to the concept. Additionally, the practice of contour line drawing dictates that they cannot cross each other due to the necessity of maintaining unique elevation levels at every point. If they were to cross, it would imply that the same point possesses two different elevations, which is impossible. The rule that contour lines do not split is also based on the requirement that each line represents a continuous elevation across a single plane. Thus, the integrity of contour lines necessitates that they remain unbroken and unbranched. However, contour lines do not indicate legal property boundaries. Legal boundaries are often determined by property deeds, surveys, or other legal specifications, which can run regardless of the topography depicted by contour lines. Therefore, stating that contour lines denote legal property boundaries is misleading, and this is why the selected option accurately identifies a statement that