FIELD WORK NO.

1
PACING ON LEVEL GROUND

OBJECTIVES:
1. To obtain individual pace factor.
2. To determine an unknown distance by individual pacing.

INSTRUMENTS:
1. 2 range poles
2. chalk (for pavements)
3. 2 marking pins (for soft ground)
4. 50 meter tape

PROCEDURE:
A. Determination of Individual Pace Factor (P.F.)
1. The professor measures and designates a 50m course on a level ground.
(Remember to remove the tape while the students will be pacing on the course to
prevent them from using the tape as a basis for a straight course.)
2. The ends of the assigned course are marked with either hubs or marking pins, or by
chalk marks if on pavements. Designate the points as A and B.
3. Set or hold range poles behind points A and B or outside the course AB. These poles
will aid the students to travel in a straight path.
4. Each student should take turn pacing the course from A to B starting with heel to toe
over a, keeping their eyes focus on the range pole behind point B to keep themselves
on a straight path. One has to walk in their natural unaffected manner, and has to keep
counting their number of paces for the entire course being covered. A partial pace at the
end of the course should be figured out to the nearest one fourth of a pace. Record this
as the number of paces for Trial No. 1.

5. For Trial No. 2, each student should walk from B to A in the same manner as in the
first trial.
6. Repeat steps 2 and 5 for the subsequent trials to comply with the number of trials
required by the professor.
7. Data should be entered in the preliminary data sheet.
B. Determination of an unknown distance of the assigned course by pacing.
1. The professor marks the end of a level course to be paced by each student.
2. Range poles are to be set up outside the level course to straighten the path of the
student.
3. Each student paces the course with the minimum number of trials as required,
recording the number of paces for each trial.
4. The professor, after all field notes shall have been submitted, asigns two students to
make an actual taping of the course to determine its actual taped distance.
COMPUTATIONS:
The computation of sample field notes is done in accordance with the steps listed
hereunder:
1. Get the sum of the five trials and divide this sum by number of trials to get the mean.
N=mean number of paces=

of the number of paces

number of trials

2. Divide the length of the course by the mean number of paces to get the individual
Pace Factor P.F.
P . F .=

length of course
m/ pace
meannumber of paces

B. Computation of an unknown distance and percent error

1. Get the sum of the number of paces in each trial and divide this sum by the number
of trials performed to get the mean.
N=mean number of paces=

of the number of paces

number of trials

2. Multiply the mean number of paces of the unkown distance by the pace factor (P.F.)
to obtain the paced distance.
P . D .=( N ) (P . F .)

3. Divide the difference between the taped distance and the paced distance by the
taped distance and multiply the quotient by 100 to get the percentage of error.
Percentage of error=

|Taped DistancePaced Distance|

Taped Distance

100

THE PRINCIPLE:
A pace maybe measured from heel to heel or from toe to toe. While half a pace is from
the toe of one foot to the heel of the other foot. To keep one on the line while pacing, it
is good practice to fix his eyes on a distant object at the range behind the pole on the
farther end of the line being paced. Since the accepted precision of measuring distance
by pacing is 1/300, it should be used only for estimating distances such as those used
for sketching and making reconnaissance surveys.
PRECISION OF PACING A DISTANCE:
The precision of measuring a distance by pacing is only 1/300.
Precisionof pacinga d istance=

1
300

FINAL DATA SHEET

FIELD WORK NO. 1

PACING ON LEVEL GROUND

DATA:
MEASURING DISTANCE BY PACING
TRIAL

LINE

NO. OF
PACES

1
2
3
4
5
6

AB
BA
AB
BA
AB
BA

26
25
22
28
27
26

PACE FACTOR

0.31
0.31
0.33
0.295
0.315
0.31

m/pace
m/pace
m/pace
m/pace
m/pace
m/pace

PACED
DISTAN
CE
8.06 m
7.75 m
7.26 m
8.26 m
8.505 m
8.06 m

MEAN
DISTANCE

ACTUAL
DISTANCE

ERROR

7.9825 m

8.0 m

0.21875 %

SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS:
For PACED DISTANCE (trial 1):
PACED DISTANCE=( NO .OF PACES ) ( PACE FACTOR )
PACED DISTANCE=( 26 ) ( O.31 )
PACED DISTANCE=8.06 m

For MEAN DISTANCE:

MEAN DISTANCE=

8.06 m+7. 75 m+7.26 m+8.26 m+8.505 m+ 8.06 m

6

MEAN DISTANCE=

47.895m
=7.9825 m
6

For ERROR:
ERROR=

T . V .P .V .
100
T .V .

ERROR=

8.007.9825
100 =0.21875
8.00

DISCUSSION:
The first field work was about pacing on level ground. In here, we were introduced by
our professor to instruments such as 2 range poles, 2 marking pins, and a 50 meter
tape which we used for this field work.
In order for our group to obtain all the data we needed, we did the following procedures.
First, using a meter tape, we measured a distance of 8.0 meters and marked both ends
using a chalk. Next, we placed the range poles on the marked ends - which also serves
as a guide when we do the paced distance. Each member on our group participated in
doing every trial. We conducted 6 trials ;wherein each trial has varying pace factor since
each one of us participated. We were able to obtain paced distance of 8.06 m, 7.75 m,
7.26 m, 8.26 m, 8.505 m, and 8.06 m, as shown on the table from the data. Having
these values, we were able to compute for the mean distance ;wherein we obtained a
value of 7.9825 m. After we got the mean distance, we compared it to the actual
distance, and from here we were able to obtain a percent difference of 0.21875%.
To add more information about the pace factor, I did some research and gathered the
following information. [1] The pace factor is determined by getting the product of the
sum of the steps by the known value of the line or course. From getting the pace factor
by pace or one step, or by the stride or double step, you can use your own pace factor
to measure a line or a course. [2] Knowing pace factor is very useful in the field of
engineering specifically in civil engineering in the field of surveying when you don't have
an instrument in measuring a long distance of course or a line. Different people have
their own pace factor so every individual differ on other pace factor. To know the
distance of the course you want to measure, it is by getting the product of your pace
factor to the sum of the steps or the pacing of the course or line. this is significant for all
the engineering for their field works.

CONCLUSION:
This field work's two main objectives were for us to obtain individual pace factor and to
determine an unknown distance by individual pacing. And after we followed the
procedures required for this field work, we were able to gather all the data we needed.
Each one of our members were able to participate in measuring for the paced
distance ;wherein each one of us has different pace factor. Our group were able to
obtain paced distances of 8.06 m, 7.75 m, 7.26 m, 8.26 m, 8.505 m, and 8.06 m. And
from these, we were able to compute for the mean distance which is 7.9825 m. Our
group were also able to compare the computed mean distance with the actual distance
which is 8.0 m ;wherein we obtained 0.21875% as an error.
Based from the data and results that our group were able to obtain, we can say that we
were able to meet the objectives needed on this experiment. Our group were able to
obtain an individual pace factor and we were also able to determine the unknown
distance by individual pacing, as supported by our data.
The use of the pace factor has been given emphasis on this field work - how it is useful
especially on the field of engineering. Knowing pace factor is very useful in the field of
engineering specifically in civil engineering in the field of surveying. This can be applied
when you don't have an instrument in measuring a long distance of course or a line.
Different people have their own pace factor so every individual differ on other pace
factor. And to be able to know the distance of the course you want to measure, just
simply get the product of your pace factor to the sum of the steps or the pacing of the
course or line. Using this technique can lead you to the true value of the path or course
that you are measuring, which in our case, a 0.21875% error from the true value of 8.00
m.