If you have a right-of-way that is 30 miles long and 16 feet wide, how many acres does it cover?

• A. 45 acres
• B. 58 acres
• C. 72 acres
• D. 80 acres

Answer: (B)

To determine the area of a right-of-way, one must first convert the dimensions into a consistent unit of measurement, typically acres for land area calculations. The given right-of-way is 30 miles long and 16 feet wide.

Start with the length:

• 30 miles is converted to feet. Since there are 5,280 feet in a mile, multiply 30 by 5,280 to find the length in feet:

30 miles × 5,280 feet/mile = 158,400 feet.

Next, calculate the area in square feet by multiplying the length by the width:

• Area = Length × Width = 158,400 feet × 16 feet = 2,534,400 square feet.

Now, convert square feet to acres, knowing that 1 acre is equal to 43,560 square feet:

• To find the area in acres, divide the total area in square feet by the number of square feet per acre:

2,534,400 square feet ÷ 43,560 square feet/acre = 58.3 acres.

Rounding to the nearest whole number gives approximately 58 acres. This corresponds with the provided answer choice and illustrates how exact measurements and conversions can accurately