OUTSIZED LINEAR ERROR OF CLOSURE.—When an angular error of closure is within allowable limits and there is an outsized linear error of closure, you should check for mistakes as follows:

1. Ascertain that you have not dropped a traverse line.

2. Ascertain that each latitude and departure is in the correct column.

3. Make sure that, in computing latitudes and departures, you have not accidently used cosine instead of sine or vice versa. The latitude of a traverse line equals the product of the length times the cosine of the bearing; the departure equals the product of the length times the sine of the bearing.

4. Make sure that you have given each bearing the proper compass direction; that is, the direction of the front bearing, NOT that of the back bearing.

5. Make sure that you copied all bearings and distances correctly.

6. Make sure that you copied all cosines and sines correctly.

If none of these procedures serves to identify the mistake, you will have to rerun the traverse. If you must do this, examine the direction of the line of linear error of closure on the plot. Often, the traverse line that contains the mistake is parallel to this line. If there is a line that is parallel, you should start your rerun with this one.