What best describes ‘error of closure’ in a survey?

The concept of 'error of closure' refers to the discrepancy that arises in a survey when the measured values do not align with the expected or true values. In surveying, this can often be manifested as the difference between the starting and ending points of a closed traverse. When surveys are conducted, especially in creating closed geometric figures, any errors in measurements can lead to a situation where the final point does not coincide exactly with the initial point, resulting in an error of closure.

This error is critical to evaluate as it helps surveyors assess the accuracy and precision of their work. By calculating the error of closure, surveyors can determine whether their measurements are reliable and can make necessary adjustments to improve the overall integrity of the survey.

Contextually, the other options describe aspects of surveying but do not correctly define 'error of closure.' The total distance measured refers to the cumulative length of the survey lines, the angle at which a survey is taken pertains more to individual measurements rather than overall accuracy, and the method used to balance a traverse deals with adjusting measured values to achieve a closure but is not itself a definition of error.