MAP READING

CHAPTER-10
Very short answer type questions:

1. What is a map?

Ans. In general terms maps means two dimensional representation of the earth or
a part of it. In other words maps are the representation of geographical areas,
usually a portion of the earth surface drawn or printed on a flat surface.

2. What do you mean by scale?

Ans. A scale is the ratio between a distance measured on a map and the
corresponding distance on the surface, conne3cting two given point’s
represe4nted by the same unit. It helps in drawing and reading of maps.

3. Why are conventional symbols so called?

Ans. Conventional symbols are so called because the design and shape of their
symbols have been laid down by mutual agreement among nations.

4. What is the importance of colour in a map?

Ans. Colours in a map represents particular features and are more useful for
representation and reading for survey map.

5. Name the four intermediate directions.

Ans. The four intermediate directions are:

I. North-east.
II. South-east
III. North-west
IV. South-west.

6. Name the two types of maps.

Ans. The two main types of maps are physical map and cultural map.

7. What is meant by leaner scale?

Ans. Linear scale is geographic line drawn on a map. Each division of the scale
represents a certain distance on the ground.

8. What is meant by representative fraction?

Ans. Representative Fraction is similar to ratio proportion but may indicate the
same result by a mathematical formula. R.F. (Representation Fraction)

Distance on the map

Distance on the ground

Short answer type questions:

1. Briefly describe the importance of maps.

Ans. Maps are important to us in the following ways:

I. For locating place on the earth.

II. For disaster management.
III. For locating resources, their mining and for comparing reserves.
IV. Maps are are an essential tourists aid.
V. Maps help us to measure distance and geographical distance of rivers, wind,
traffic movements etc.
VI. Maps are an essential management tools.
VII. Maps are also used in defense, planning and projecting information or just
simply travelling in space.
2. Explain any two ways of representing scale.

Ans. The two ways of representing scales are:

I. Statements: In this method the scale of the map is expressed in words. It

may be simply stated that 5km on ground is equal to 1cm on the map.
II. Ratio proportion: in this method 1 unit on the map may repr3esent several
thousand units on the ground e.g. 1:50,000 may mean 1 cm on the map.

Long answer type questions:

1. Describe essential element of map making?

Ans. Some essential elements of map making are:

a. Scale: It is the relationship of distance on the ground represented on the map.

It is helpful in both drawing and reading of map.

b. Conventional symbols: They are commonly used symbols to avoid crowding of

information in a map.

c. Colour: Colour on a map represents various features and is more useful in

representation of information and reading of survey maps.

2. Give the importance and features of color on maps.

Ans. Different colors on a map represent various features and are more useful in
propagation of information and reading of survey maps. The features of colors on
a map are:

I. Blue: Oceans, seas, lakes and other water bodies.

 II. Yellow: Cultivable land on a survey map. On atlas maps it means rough
land.
III. White: Uncultivable land on survey maps and unvegetated land on atlas
maps.
IV. Green: Forest area, grassland etc.
V. Red: Settlements huts on survey maps.

3. What are known as cultural maps? Explain the different types of cultural
maps.

Ans. Cultural maps are those maps that show cultural features such as distribution
of population. These maps have specific purpose and contents.

The different types of cultural maps are:

I. Dot map: Dots of uniform size and thickness may show 10,000density of
population and dots of double size and thickness may show double density
of population. Thus dots are created electronically by computers.
II. Chloropleth map: these are the maps that show distribution by means of
degree color and shapes showing distribution of raindrops.

4. Why are conventional signs not drawn to scale?

Ans. In order to avoid crowding of information conventional symbols are used for
things such as road, railway lines, bridges etc. they give information in a small
space. These symbols are followed and accepted by all the nation of the world. So
it is not practical to use these symbols on maps with a scale as they contain things
of varied size.