Coordinates, Calculators, and Intersections by Earl F. Burkholder Abstract. Programmable calculators have become quite indispensable to anyone performing surveying calculations. Trigonometric formulas used in plane coordinate computations are universally understood and many have programmed them for various calculators; some efficiently and correctly, others not so. This paper presents formulas and calculator procedures for coordinate geometry and intersection com- putations which are superior in accuracy and efficiency to those appearing in recent surveying texts. Greater accuracy is obtained by utilizing coordinate differences in the intersection formulas. Greater effi ciency is achieved through use of polar-rectangular conversions and by exploiting similarities found in the solutions of various intersection problems. Introduction * Line-circle intersection (bearing-distance) Programmable calculators have become an * Circle-circle intersection (distance-distance) indispenable tool for anyone performing sur- Perpendicular offset veying calculations. Although tedium of look- ing up trigonometric functions and recording It is possible to program each problem numerous intermediate values has been elim- the way it would be solved longhand. How: inated, performing computations efficiently ever, it is more efficient to use built-in fune- is still desirable. Additionally, the pro- tions for the Forward and Inverse and to fessional surveyor is responsible for correct. Solve the intersections symbolically before ness of the result and should know what a Programming them. “eanned” program is doing with the data. pe finitions and Conventions This paper presents formulas for coordinate geometry computations which are superior in Although redundant for most, definitions and accuracy and efficiency to many being used. conventions to be followed are stated specifi- Greater accuracy is obtained by using coordi- cally. There must be no ambiguity in the nate differences rather than the entire coor- programmer's mind or the user's under. dinate value (i.e., state plane coordinates) in _ standing as to the meaning or use of any ele the intersection formulas. Greater efficiency ment in the solution of a problem. A com- is achieved through use of the “surveyor’s _ puter does only and exactly what it is told to reference system” in the polar-rectangular do. conversions and by exploiting similarities found in various intersection problems. Surveyor’s Reference System: A two-dimen. sional plane cartesian coordinate system is Goal used for surveying computations and in- cludes: The goal here is to present rigorous, efficient calculator and programming procedures for the following computations: *A set of mutually perpendicular axes con- sisting of: a. The abscissa, a horizontal line along whieh the X distance is measured and, b. The ordinate, a vertical line along * Line-line intersection (bearing-bearing) which the Y distance is measured. Forward (Traverse) Inverse Professor Burkholder is a registered P.L.S. and P.E. and teaches upper-division surveying courses in- cluding state plane coordinate theory and applications, adjustment by least squares, astronomy, and geod- esy at the Oregon Institute of Technology. His mailing address is Oregon Institute of Technology, Oretech Branch Post Office, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601. Surveying and Mapping, Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 29-39 2990 SURVEYING AND MAPPING, March 1986 Labeling and use of map directions as follows: a. North, the positive Y axis direction. b. East, the positive X axis direction. ¢. South, the negative Y axis direction. d. West, the negative Y axis direction. * Use of North as the reference direction, 000°00'00". *A positive clockwise rotation measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds from 0° to 360° (azimuths). * Quadrant 'abeling as: a, Northeast, Quadrant I b, Southeast, Quadrant II ¢. Southwest, Quadrant III 4. Northwest, Quadrant IV Math/Science Reference System: Practically all calculators are built or “hardwired” con- ventionally as follows: * The trigonometric funetions normally oper: ate in decimal degrees. Radians or grads can be specified. * The polar/rectangular conversions are bas- ed upon the math/science coordinate system, It is the same as the surveyor reference sys- tem except: a. No map directions are used b. The reference direction is along the X axis. ¢. Positive rotation is counterclockwise. NORTH Y quadrant 1 quadrant Vv 1 (XY) WEST 1__EAS: aX x quadrant MI quadrant ei ‘SOUTH SURVEYOR'S SYSTEM 4. Quadrants are labeled counterclock wise (Fig. 1). Each reader is responsible to reconcile the differences between the coordinate sys- tem hardwired into the particular calculator and that used for surveying computations. The following should minimize confusion caused by the differences. * X and Y coordinates are the same in both systems. “Values of the trigonometric functions re- main unchanged: a. Quadrant I: sin + cos + b. Quadrant II: sin + cos — e. Quadrant I sin — cos — d. Quadrant IV: sin—cos + * If the direction is alpha (a) in the surveyor's system and theta (@) in the math/science sys- tem, they are related by: a= 90° -@ and 8 =90°-a sina = cos® and cosa = sin. ‘The polar/rectangular (P/R) conversion in most calculators is hardwired to give: D cos@ = change in X (departure) and D sin@ = change in ¥ (latitude). The same result (departure and latitude) is obtained in the surveyor's system by using: Dsina Dosa change in X (departure) and hange in ¥ (latitude). quadrant 1 quadrant in (GY) quadrant quadrant. lv MATH/SCIENCE SYSTEM Figure 1. Comparison of coordinate systems.Since the calculator does not know the dif- ference between a and @, the only change re- quired of the user is to switch the latitude and departure designators associated with polar/rectangular conversion. For example, to go from polar to rectangular coordinates, the caleulator manual may say departure is displayed as the product of distance times co- sine of direction entered. If the direction were entered as an azimuth in the surveyor's system, the same product is really the course latitude rather than the departure, A similar switch is made going from rectangular to pol- ar. If one inputs the departure/latitude where the manual asks for latitude/departure (math/ science system) the resulting azimuth will be correet in the surveyor's reference system. The coordinate computation elements used throughout this paper and shown in Fig: ure 2 are: X, & Y, =X and Y coordinates of beginning point occupied. Xp & Yz =X and Y coordinates of ending point. X and ¥ coordinates of intermedi- ate point defined by the intersee- tion of: X,&Y, a. two lines (line-line), b.a line with a circle (line-circle). ¢. two circles (circle-circle). a, =Direction (azimuth) from point 1 to point 2. a =Generie direction from point 1 to any point. NORTH Y SURVEYING AND MAPPING, March 1986 31 8 =Direction from intersection point to point 2. D, =Distance from point 1 to point 2. D, =Distance from point 1 to intersection point. D, =Distance from intersection point to point 2. AX = X,~ X; (departure of course 1 to 2). AY = Y2~ Y, (latitude of course 1 to 2). ‘Y =Angle formed at point 1 by D, and D, (always +). Assumptions and Approach The following assumptions and philosophy are critical to understanding derivation and use of equations listed in the Summary of Coordinate Computation Formulas later in this paper. * Coordinates of a point are considered pri- mary data. If coordinates for a point are not available, the direction and distance to it from some known point are the defining data for that point. However, once established, the coordinates are primary data and all other quantities are derived from the coordinates. * Uncertainty, random errors, positional tolerance and standard deviation are not con- sidered. This paper deals only with consisten- ey of geometrical elements of a problem and redundancy is used only to check correctness of a solution. * Inasmuch as state plane coordinates have large magnitudes it is desirable to use coor- Figure 2. Elements of coordinate computation.