Which unit of measurement is crucial for recording angles in surveying?

In surveying, angles are critical for determining the direction and position of points relative to one another. Degrees are the standard unit used to measure angles, making them essential for a variety of surveying tasks, such as triangulation and navigating the land. This measurement is intuitively understood in the context of circular geometry, where a full circle is divided into 360 degrees, allowing surveyors to communicate angular measurements clearly and universally.

While radians are another unit for measuring angles and may be used in certain mathematical contexts, degrees are more commonly employed in the practical applications of surveying because they are easier for most professionals to visualize and apply in real-world situations. Inches and feet are units of linear measurement and are thus not suitable for recording angles, which require angular units to convey the relationship between lines and points in the field. Therefore, degrees are the go-to choice for accurate angle measurement in surveying.