University of Southeastern Philippines

Apokon Road, Tagum City, Davao del Norte

College of Agriculture and Related Sciences
INTRODUCTION TO AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
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Determination of Pace Factor

Laboratory Exercise No.01
I.

Introduction:
Without any measuring instrument, one can obtain a good estimate of an unknown
distance by using ones pace factor. When doing a reconnaissance survey of an area where
certain distances need to be verified, the use of ones pace factor to check these distances
without the need of any distance-measuring instrument can provide satisfactory estimates.

II.

Objectives:
1. To determine the individual pace factor on level and sloping ground.
2. To be able to determine an unknown distance by pacing.

III.

Instruments and Accessories:

Steel tape, Markers

IV.

Procedure:
A. Determination of Pace Factor
1. Look for a place having a level ground. Measure 50 meter straight and level
course and designate the end points as point A and B.
2. Walk over the course at natural pace with either heel or toe and count the
paces made from point B to A, then A to B until you reach five trials. Record
the paces made.

TRIAL

LINE

LENGTH
OF LINE
AB

1
2
3
4
5

AB
BA
AB
BA
AB

50m

# OF
PACES

MEAN #
OF
PACES

PACE
FACTOR

B. Estimating an Unknown Distance by Pacing

1. Unknown distance CD will be designated by your instructor to measure using
your own pace.
2. Walk over the course at natural pace with either heel or toe and count the
paces made from point C to D. Record the paces made.(Note: You must walk
along a straight path for a more accurate result.)

3. You should perform two trials to obtain this unknown distance CD. That
means one trial from point C to point D and another trial from point D to point
C. The obtained trial results should be more or less equal. If a large
discrepancy exists, a third measurement should be performed to serve as a
check.
Trial No.

No. of Paces

1
2
3 if needed
Total

V.

Computations:
A. Determination of Pace Factor
Mean no. of paces = sum of paces / no. of trial

=
Pace Factor

= Taped Distance / Mean no. of paces

= ____________

B. Estimating an Unknown Distance by Pacing

Mean no. of Paces = Total No. of paces / no. of trial

=
Unknown Distance = Pace Factor x Mean No. of Paces
=
Relative Precision

=(Taped Distance Paced Distance)/Taped Distance

=

VI.

Discussion:

meters

VII.

Conclusion:

VIII.

Sketch:

IX.

Questions and Application Problems:

1. What is Pacing? State the importance/purpose of conducting pacing.

2. What is the accepted precision for measuring distance by pacing? If the computed
relative precision of the set of measurement is greater than the accepted precision, what
must the pacer do?

3. A pacer walked six (6) times over a straight and level course XY; he recorded his steps
as 121, 123, 124, 121, 122, and 123. Determine the length of the line XY if his pace
factor is 0.79m/pace.