Step 1: Understand compensating errors
Compensating errors are small random errors that tend to cancel each other out over many measurements.
Step 2: Their occurrence in chaining
In chain surveying, compensating errors result from small mistakes such as misalignment, sag, and incorrect tension.
Step 3: Error proportionality
These types of errors are statistically random and their magnitude increases with the square root of the total length measured.
Step 4: Final relation
Therefore, compensating errors are proportional to \(\sqrt{L}\).
Step 5: Final Answer
So, the correct answer is \(\sqrt{L}\).