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Questions and Answers
What is the primary purpose of reference maps?
What is the primary purpose of reference maps?
What is an example of a thematic map?
What is an example of a thematic map?
What is the role of maps in GIS?
What is the role of maps in GIS?
What is an advantage of digital maps over analog maps?
What is an advantage of digital maps over analog maps?
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What is the suggested scale for national planning?
What is the suggested scale for national planning?
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What is the primary difference between analog and digital maps in terms of representation of change over time?
What is the primary difference between analog and digital maps in terms of representation of change over time?
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What is the purpose of thematic maps in GIS?
What is the purpose of thematic maps in GIS?
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What is the concept inherited from paper maps in GIS?
What is the concept inherited from paper maps in GIS?
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What is the suggested scale for municipality/city planning?
What is the suggested scale for municipality/city planning?
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What is the primary advantage of digital maps in terms of editing?
What is the primary advantage of digital maps in terms of editing?
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Study Notes
Basic Principles and Goals of Cartography
- Cartography is the science and art of making maps and charts, derived from the Greek words 'chartes' (sheet of papyrus) and 'graphy' (writing).
- Deals with the construction, use, and principles behind maps.
Definition of a Map
- A map is a depiction of all or part of the Earth or other geographic phenomenon as a set of symbols and at a scale whose representative fraction is less than one to one.
- A map is a model of spatial phenomena, an abstraction of reality, and a simplified representation of the real world.
- Maps are the most efficient shorthand to show locations of objects with attributes and their spatial distributions.
History of Cartography
- Maps have been used by humans since pre-historic times, engraved in wood, stone, baked clay, and animal skin.
- Development of cartography includes: clay tablets, papyrus maps, Roman maps, Erathosthenes' and Ptolemy's maps, and the invention of printing and engraving.
- Cartography has evolved over time, with improvements in accuracy, scientific method, and technology.
Map Features and Elements
- Points on a map are usually represented by a special symbol or label.
- Lines on a map represent linear features such as roads, streams, and pipelines.
- Polygons on a map represent features such as lakes, parks, and county boundaries.
- Map elements include map scale, direction, legend, and other map parts.
Map Scale
- Map scale is the amount of reduction that takes place in going from the real world to the map plane.
- Map scale is based on the representative fraction, the ratio of a distance on the map to the same distance on the ground.
- AGIS is scaleless because maps can be enlarged and reduced and plotted at many scales other than that of the original data.
Direction and Legend
- Maps can display both true north and magnetic north.
- The legend lists the symbols used on a map and what they depict.
Types of Maps
- General purpose or reference maps are not designed for any specific application and focus on locations and physical and cultural features.
- Special purpose or thematic maps are designed to depict a particular type of feature or measurement.
Importance of Maps in GIS
- A map can be both a source of data for a geographic database and an analog product from a GIS.
- Many of the ideas associated with GIS are inherited from paper maps.
- Digital maps can represent changes over time, whereas analog maps are static.
Analog vs. Digital Maps
- Digital representations can include information that would be difficult to show on analog maps, such as curved surfaces, topography, and changes in land cover.
- Digital maps are easier to edit digitally.
Map Scale and Planning
- Suggested scales for planning vary depending on the level and nature of planning, such as national, regional, provincial, and metropolitan planning.
- Examples of scales include 1:1,500,000, 1:50,000, 1:10,000, and 1:2,000.
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Description
Test your knowledge of the basic principles and goals of cartography, map features, and types of maps. Understand the importance of maps in GIS and the science behind making maps and charts.
