What does "range" refer to in land measurement?

In the context of land measurement, "range" refers specifically to the area of land between two consecutive meridians. Meridians are the imaginary lines that run north-south on a map, and they define the longitude. The term "range" is often used in the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) in the United States, which divides land into townships and sections. Within this system, a range is a vertical column of townships that share the same meridian. Therefore, it accurately describes the geographic section between these two meridians.

Understanding this concept is essential for land navigation and surveying, as it directly relates to how land is organized and described in legal and geographical contexts. The other options refer to different aspects of land measurement but do not directly align with how "range" is defined in this specific context.