Which step is not part of balancing a traverse?

In balancing a traverse, the primary focus is on ensuring that the measured angles and distances are consistent and conform to the principles of geometric closure. The steps involved include computing angular error and adjusting the angles to achieve balance, calculating latitude and departure for individual legs of the traverse to assess error, and making adjustments based on the calculated error of closure to ensure that the final points align properly with the starting point.

The computation of total land area, while a necessary task in surveying for determining the extent of land parcels, is not directly associated with the process of balancing the traverse. Balancing a traverse is concerned specifically with verifying and correcting the geometry of the survey measurements, rather than calculating the area, which is typically a subsequent activity following the completion of the traverse calculations. This delineation is critical for understanding the workflow in surveying, as area calculations can occur irrespective of how well the traverse itself has been balanced.