Unit 1-Study of Geography

Part 3Cartographers’ Tools

Learning Objectives

• I can identify the elements of maps, charts, and globes

• I can differentiate between map types and projections and explain their purpose.

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What Tools Help Us Understand Our Location in Relation to Other Locations?

• The Study of Maps!Is there bias, prejudice or self absorption here?

• Cartography – the art of map making

• Map – a representation of an area.

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• Types of Maps1. Political - names and boundaries of countries, cities, etc.

• Ex. Political map of the world

2. Physical - show physical features.

eExample: Relief Map – shows the elevations of a land surface. (type of physical map)

Topographic Relief Map of Kings Peak – Utah (13,500 ft)

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3. Reference Map• Shows location of places and geographic

features• Absolute location

Ex. Roadmap

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4. Thematic Map• Tells the story or reveals patterns of a

specific attribute.

• Map Projections – Representing Earth on a flat sheet of paper.

RobiRobinson

Goode

Winkel

(It is impossible to accurately portray a round object on a flat piece of paper)

sstrength-minor distortion; weakness-flat poles

Strength-shows true directions and shapes;Weakness-distorts size and distance

Used mostLittle distortion, most balanced

Shows true size & shape but distance is distorted

Mercator

Maps:• A. Help Geographers identify regions

and analyze their content• B. Make the large world easy to

observe• C. Have strengths, weaknesses and

limitations• D. Distort or Misrepresent the real

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Types of Distortion

• 1. Shape• 2. Distance• 3. Relative Size• 4. Direction

• Map Elements1. Key/legend

a. Explains lines, symbols and colors

2. Scale bara. Shows distance-ratio of actual ground distance to that shown on map

3. Compass Rose – circle that shows directions on a map.

- Cardinal Directions – north, south, east and west. (Draw compass rose on the right side of your paper)

• The sun rises in the east . . .

Wasatch Mountains east of Sandy.

. . . and sets in the west.

Downtown SLC

Sunrise on the Indian Ocean . . . are you looking east or west?

Sunset on the Sahara Desert . . . are you looking east or west?

You are looking west . . . sunrise or sunset?

You are looking east . . . sunrise or sunset?

• On a map, North is up and South is down (generally).

Ogden is up and Provo is down.

Idaho is up and Arizona is down.

Where is BHS located? Give me the relative location using cardinal directions.

• Atlas – a collection of maps in a book.

Greek Mythology: Atlas was a Titan and when the Titans and the Olympians went to war, the Olympians won. His punishment was to hold up the heavens for eternity. So he really doesn’t hold up earth.

• Globe – a spherical representation of Earth.

Direct Route

Which route is longer/shorter?

• Great Circle Route - Imaginary line that follows the curve of earth.

- Who uses it and why?

The Great Circle Route looks longer, however, it is actually a shorter route.

Airline pilotsBenefits – reduce travel time and

saves fuel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XBwjQsOEeg&feature=related

• Mental Mapping– A map in your head..

TextIsIs there bias here?

-Geographic Information Systems aka-GIS• First, data is gathered from MAPS,

SATELLITE IMAGES, PRINTED TEXT and STATISTICS

• Next, GIS converts data into digital code and arranges it in data base.

• Last, Cartographers program the GIS to process the data and produce maps.

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