Map Basics
What is a map?
A model or representation of an area of Earth's surface.
What are the four ______ directions?
North, south, east, and west. Cardinal
What is latitude?
How far north or south a location is from the Equator.
What is a globe?
A spherical model of Earth.
What does GPS stand for?
Global Positioning System.
What is a chart?
A map designed especially for navigation.
What is a cartographer?
A person who makes maps.
Why are latitude lines called parallels?
They run parallel to one another and never meet.
What is an oblique view?
A view from an angle rather than directly overhead.
What does a map legend explain?
The meaning of symbols on a map.
What is the difference between a map and a globe?
A globe is spherical and represents Earth's overall shape; a map is usually flat.
What does a scale of 1 inch = 1 mile mean?
One inch on the map represents one mile in reality.
What is the Equator's latitude?
0° latitude.
Where was one of the earliest known maps created?
Ancient Babylonia.
At least how many satellites make up the GPS constellation?
At least 24 satellites.
What is a map model representing?
A representation or model of a real place that simplifies the real world.
Which shows more detail: large-scale or small-scale maps?
Large-scale maps.
What is the Prime Meridian's longitude, and where is it located?
0° longitude, at the Prime Meridian passing through Greenwich, England.
Name two or three observations that helped people conclude Earth is spherical.
ships disappear below the horizon; different stars are visible from different places; Earth's shadow on the Moon during a lunar eclipse is round.
What does a copyright statement on a map tell you?
Creator, publisher, ownership, date, or information about permitted use.
Why do small-scale maps generally have more distortion?
Earth is curved while the map is flat, so a large area must be stretched or otherwise distorted.
Which usually has more distortion: a small-scale map of the world or a large-scale map of one neighborhood?
The small-scale world map.
What is the maximum longitude measured east or west, and what is the International Date Line?
Maximum longitude is 180° east or west. The International Date Line is the approximate line near 180° longitude where the calendar date changes.
A map uses lines labeled 100 ft, 200 ft, and 300 ft to show changes in elevation. What type of map is it, and what are those lines called?
Topographic map; contour lines
What are geographic coordinates, and in what order are they written?
Coordinates identify a location using latitude and longitude; latitude comes first, longitude second.