DENR Administrative Order (DAO) 2007-29 Practice Test 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

A reference point is a designated ground point whose coordinates are known in the map or grid you’re using, giving you both horizontal position (where it sits on the plan) and vertical position (its elevation). This makes it a stable baseline for tying all other measurements to one common reference, which is exactly what’s described by “a point appropriately marked on the ground with an established horizontal and vertical position.”

A benchmark is mainly about a vertical reference for elevations, not necessarily a known horizontal location. A control point is used to control survey networks and may emphasize its role within a network rather than serving as a general reference. A datum point is the origin of a datum for coordinates, which is related but not necessarily described as a ground-marked reference point.