A legal description reads as follows: "The NW 1/4 of Section 2 and the W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 35." How many acres is this?

To determine the total number of acres in the legal description "The NW 1/4 of Section 2 and the W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 35," it's important to break down each component of the description based on how area measurements work in the Public Land Survey System (PLSS).

A section in the PLSS typically measures 640 acres (1 mile by 1 mile). The full section is then divided into quarters and halves, with each subdivision yielding specific acreages:

1. The NW 1/4 of Section 2:

• Since a section equals 640 acres, one-quarter of a section would be:

• 640 acres ÷ 4 = 160 acres.

2. The W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 35:

• First, we find the acreage of the SW 1/4, which is:

• 640 acres ÷ 4 = 160 acres.

• Now, taking the W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 means dividing it by 2:

• 160 acres ÷ 2 = 80 acres.

Now, we add the two totals