Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams Menu

Handbook Introduction
How Do I Study Geography?
Section 1 Maps and Globes
Section 2 Using Graphs, Charts,
and Diagrams

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams Introduction

• The story of the world begins with

geography—the study of the earth in
all of its variety. Geography describes
the earth’s land, water, and plant and
animal life. It is the study of places
and the complex relationships between
people and their environment.
• The resources in this handbook will
help you get the most out of your
textbook—and provide you with skills
you will use for the rest of your life.

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams Introduction

Handbook Objectives
• Understand the themes and elements
associated with the study of geography.
• Understand the purpose and uses of
globes and maps.
• Describe how to use maps, graphs,
and charts.
• Identify the most commonly used
geographic terms.

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

How Do I Study Geography?

• To understand how our world is
connected, some geographers have
broken down the study of geography
into five themes.
• The Five Themes of Geography are
(1) location, (2) place, (3) human/
environment interaction, (4) movement,
and (5) regions.
• You will see these themes highlighted in
the Section and Chapter Assessments in
Journey Across Time.

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Six Essential Elements

• Recently, geographers have broken down
the study of geography into Six Essential
Elements, which are explained for you on
the following slides.
• Being aware of these elements will help
you sort out what you are learning about
geography.

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 1: The World in Spatial Terms

• Geographers first take a look at where
a place is located.
• Location serves as a starting point
by asking ―Where is it?‖
• Knowing the location
of places helps you
to develop an
awareness of the
world around you.

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 2: Places and Regions

• Place has a special meaning
in geography.
• It is not just a geographic
location. It also describes
characteristics.
• It might describe physical
characteristics such as
landforms, climate, and plant
or animal life.
• Or it might describe human
characteristics, including
language and way of life.

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 2: Places and Regions (cont.)

• To help organize their study,
geographers often group
places into regions.
• Regions are united by one
or more common
characteristics.

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 3: Physical Systems

• When studying places and
regions, geographers analyze
how physical systems—such
as hurricanes, volcanoes, and
glaciers—shape the earth’s
surface.
• They also look at communities
of plants and animals that
depend upon one another and
their particular surroundings
for survival.

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 4: Human Systems

• Geographers also examine human
systems, or how people have shaped
our world.
• They look at how boundary lines are
determined and analyze why people
settle in certain places and not in others.

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 4: Human Systems (cont.)

• A key theme in geography is the continual
movement of people, ideas, and goods.

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 5: Environment and Society

• How does the relationship between
people and their natural surroundings
influence the way people live?
• Geographers study
how people use the
environment and
how their actions
affect the
environment.

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Element 6: The Uses of Geography

• Knowledge of geography helps us
understand the relationships among
people, places, and environments over
time.
• Applying
geographic
skills helps you
understand the
past and prepare
for the future.

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Hemispheres
• To locate places on the earth,
geographers use a system of imaginary
lines that crisscross the globe.
• One of these lines, the Equator, circles
the middle of the earth like a belt.
• It divides the earth into ―half spheres,‖
or hemispheres.
• Everything north of the Equator is in
the Northern Hemisphere.
(page 4)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Hemispheres (cont.)
• Everything south of the Equator is in the
Southern Hemisphere.
• Another imaginary line runs from north
to south.
• It helps divide the earth into half
spheres in the other direction.

(page 4)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Hemispheres (cont.)
• Find this line—called the Prime
Meridian–on a globe.
• Everything east of the Prime Meridian
for 180 degrees is in the Eastern
Hemisphere.
• Everything west of the Prime Meridian
for 180 degrees is in the Western
Hemisphere.

(page 4)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Hemispheres

(page 4)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Latitude
• Lines on globes and maps provide
information that can help you easily
locate places on the earth.
• These lines—called latitude and
longitude—cross one another, forming
a pattern called a grid system.

(page 5)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Latitude (cont.)
• Lines of latitude, or parallels, circle the
earth parallel to the Equator and measure
the distance north or south of the Equator
in degrees.
• The Equator is at
0° latitude, while
the North Pole
lies at latitude
90°N(north).

(page 5)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Longitude
• Lines of longitude, or meridians, circle
the earth from Pole to Pole.
• These lines measure distances east
or west of the starting line, which is a
0° longitude and is called the Prime
Meridian.

(page 5)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Longitude (cont.)
• The Prime Meridian runs through the
Royal Observatory in Greenwich,
England.

(page 5)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Absolute Location
• The grid system formed by lines of
latitude and longitude makes it possible
to find the absolute location of a place.
• Only one place can be found at the
point where a specific line of latitude
crosses a specific line of longitude.

(page 5)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Absolute Location (cont.)

• By using degrees (°) and minutes (′)
(points between degrees), people can
pinpoint the
precise spot
where one line of
latitude crosses
one line of
longitude—an
absolute
location.

(page 5)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

• The most accurate way to depict the

earth is as a globe, a round scale
model of the earth. A globe gives a true
picture of the continents’ relative sizes
and the shapes of landmasses and
bodies of water. Globes accurately
represent distance and direction.
• A map is a flat drawing of all or part of
the earth’s surface. Unlike globes,
maps can show small areas in great
detail. Maps can also display political
boundaries, population densities, or
even voting returns. (page 6)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

From Globes to Maps

• Maps, however, do have their limitations.
As you can imagine, drawing a round
object on a flat surface is very difficult.
• Cartographers, or mapmakers, use
mathematical formulas to transfer
information from the round globe to a
flat map.
• However, when the curves of a globe
become straight lines on a map, the
size, shape, distance, or area can
change or be distorted. (page 6)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Great Circle Routes

• Mapmakers have solved some problems
of going from a globe to a map.
• A great circle is an imaginary line that
follows the curve of the earth.
• A line drawn along the Equator is an
example of a great circle.
• Traveling along a great circle is called
following a great circle route.

(page 6)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Great Circle Routes (cont.)

• Airplane pilots use great circle routes
because they represent the shortest
distances from one city to another.
• The idea of a great circle shows one
important difference between a globe
and a map.
• Because a globe is round, it accurately
shows great circles.

(page 6)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Great Circle Routes (cont.)

• On a flat map,
however, the
great circle route
between two
points may not
appear to be the
shortest distance.
See the maps to
the right.

(page 6)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Mapmaking with Technology

• Technology has changed the way maps
are made.
• Most cartographers use software
programs called geographic
information systems (GIS).
• This software layers map data from
satellite images, printed text, and statistics.
• A Global Positioning System (GPS)
helps mapmakers and consumers locate
places based on coordinates broadcast
by satellites. (page 6)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Common Map Projections

• Imagine taking the whole peel from an orange
and trying to flatten it on a table. You would
either have to cut it or stretch parts of it.
Mapmakers face a similar problem in showing
the surface of the round earth on a flat map.
When the earth’s surface is flattened, big gaps
open up. To fill in the gaps, mapmakers stretch
parts of the earth. They choose to show either
the correct shapes of places or their correct
sizes. It is impossible to show both. As a
result, mapmakers have developed different
projections, or ways of showing the earth on a
flat piece of paper.
(page 7)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Common Map Projections (cont.)

 Take a second look at your peeled, flattened
orange. You might have something that looks
like a map based on Goode’s Interrupted
Equal-Area projection. A map with this
projection shows continents close to their true
shapes and sizes. This projection is helpful to
compare land areas among continents.

(page 7)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Common Map Projections (cont.)

 A map using the Robinson projection has
minor distortions. Land on the western and
eastern sides of the Robinson map appears
much as it does on a globe. The areas most
distorted on this projection are near the North
and South Poles.

(page 7)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Common Map Projections (cont.)

 The Winkel Tripel projection gives a good
overall view of the continents’ shapes and sizes.
Land areas in a Winkel Tripel projection are not
as distorted near the Poles as they are in the
Robinson projection.

(page 7)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Common Map Projections (cont.)

 The Mercator
projection shows
true direction and
land shapes fairly
accurately, but not
size or distance.
Areas that are
located far from the
Equator are quite
distorted on this
projection. Alaska,
for example, appears
much larger on a
Mercator map than it
does on a globe. (page 7)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Map Key
• An important first step in reading a map
is to note the map key.
• The map key explains the lines,
symbols, and colors used on a map.
• For example, the map on the following
slide shows the various climate regions
of the United States and the different
colors representing them.
• Cities are usually symbolized by a solid
circle (•) and capitals by a (). (page 8)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Map Key (cont.)

• On this map,
you can see
the capital of
Texas and
the cities of
Los Angeles,
Seattle, New
Orleans, and
Chicago.

(page 8)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Scale Bar
• A measuring line, often called a scale bar,
helps you figure distance on the map.
• The map scale tells you what distance
on the earth is represented by the
measurement on the scale bar.

(page 8)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Compass Rose
• A map has a symbol that tells you where
the cardinal directions—north, south,
east, and west—are positioned. This
symbol is called a compass rose.

(page 8)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

General Purpose Maps

• Maps are amazingly useful tools.
• You can use them to preserve information,
to display data and to make connections
between seemingly unrelated things.
• Geographers use many different types
of maps.
• Maps that show a wide range of general
information about an area are called
general purpose maps. Two of the most
common general purpose maps are
physical and political maps. (page 9)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Physical Maps
• Physical maps
call out landforms
and water
features.
• The physical
map of Sri Lanka
below shows
rivers and
mountains.

(page 9)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Physical Maps (cont.)

• The colors used on physical maps
include brown or green for land, and
blue for water.
• These colors and shadings may show
relief—or how flat or rugged the land
surface is.
• In addition, physical maps may use colors
to show elevation—the height of an area
above sea level.
• A key explains what each color and
symbol stands for. (page 9)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Political Maps
• Political maps show the names and
boundaries of countries, the location of
cities and other human-made features
of a place, and often identify major
physical features.
• The political map of Spain on the
next slide, for example, shows the
boundaries between Spain and
other countries.

(page 9)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Political Maps (cont.)

• It also
shows
cities and
rivers within
Spain and
bodies of
water
surrounding
Spain.

(page 9)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Contour Maps
• One kind of physical map, called a
contour map, also shows elevation.
• A contour map has contour lines—one
line for each major level of elevation.
• All the land at the same elevation is
connected by a line.
• These lines usually form circles or
ovals—one inside the other.

(page 10)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Contour Maps (cont.)

• If contour lines
come very close
together, the
surface is steep.
• If the lines are
spread apart, the
land is flat or rises
very gradually.

(page 10)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Contour Maps (cont.)

• Compare the
contour map of Sri
Lanka to its
physical map on
page 9 of your
textbook.

(page 10)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Special Purpose Maps

• Some maps are made to present specific
kinds of information.
• These are called thematic or special
purpose maps.
• They usually show themes or patterns,
often emphasizing one subject or
theme.
• Special purpose maps may present
climate, natural resources, and
population density.
(page 10)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Special Purpose Maps (cont.)

• They may also display historical
information, such as battles or territorial
expansions.
• The map’s title tells what kind of special
information it shows.
• Colors and symbols in the map key are
especially important on these types of
maps.

(page 10)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Special Purpose Maps (cont.)

• One type of special purpose map uses
colors to show population density, or the
average number of people living
in a square mile or square kilometer.
• As with other maps, it is important to
first read the title and the key.
• The population density map of Egypt
on the following slide shows that the
Nile River valley and delta are very
densely populated.
(page 10)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Special Purpose Maps (cont.)

(page 10)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Graphs
• A graph is a way of summarizing and
presenting information visually.
• Each part of a graph gives
useful information.
• First read the graph’s title to find
out its subject.
• Then read the labels along the graph’s
axes—the vertical line along the left
side of the graph and the horizontal line
along the bottom of the graph.
(page 11)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Graphs (cont.)
• One axis will tell you what is
being measured.
• The other axis tells what units of
measurement are being used.

(page 11)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Bar and Line Graphs

• Graphs that use bars or wide lines
to compare data visually are called
bar graphs.
• Look carefully at the bar graph on
the following slide, which compares
world languages.

(page 11)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Bar and Line Graphs (cont.)

(page 11)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Bar and Line Graphs (cont.)

• The vertical axis lists the languages.
• The horizontal axis gives speakers of
the language in millions.
• By comparing the lengths of the bars,
you can quickly tell which language is
spoken by the most people.
• Bar graphs are especially useful for
comparing quantities.

(page 11)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Bar and Line Graphs (cont.)

• A line graph is a useful tool for
showing changes over a period of time.
• The amounts being measured are plotted
on the grid above each year, and then
are connected by a line.
• Line graphs sometimes have two or
more lines plotted on them.
• The line graph on the following slide
shows that the number of farms in the
United States has decreased since 1940.
(page 11)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Bar and Line Graphs (cont.)

(page 11)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Circle Graphs
• You can use circle graphs when you
want to show how the whole of
something is divided into its parts.
• Because of their shape, circle graphs
are often called pie graphs.
• Each ―slice‖ represents a part or
percentage of the whole ―pie.‖
• On the circle graph on the following slide,
the whole circle (100 percent) represents
the world’s population in 2002.
(page 12)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Circle Graphs (cont.)

• The slices
show how this
population is
divided among
the world’s five
largest continents.

(page 12)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Charts
• Charts present related facts and
numbers in an organized way.
• They arrange data, especially
numbers, in rows and columns
for easy reference.
• Look at the chart on the following slide.

(page 12)

32
Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Charts (cont.)
• To interpret the
chart, first read
the title.
• It tells you what
information the
chart contains.

(page 12)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Charts (cont.)
• Next, read the
labels at the top
of each column
and on the left
side of the chart.
• They explain
what the
numbers or data
on the chart are
measuring.
(page 12)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Pictographs
• Like bar and circle graphs, pictographs
are good for making comparisons.
• Pictographs use rows of small pictures
or symbols, with each picture or symbol
representing an amount.
• The pictograph on the following slide
shows the number of automobiles
produced in the world’s five major
automobile-producing countries.

(page 12)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Pictographs (cont.)
• The key tells you
that one car symbol
stands for 1 million
automobiles.
• The total number
of car symbols in a
row adds up to the
auto production in
each selected country.

(page 12)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Climographs
• A climograph, or climate graph,
combines a line graph and a bar graph.
• It gives an overall picture of the long-term
weather patterns in a specific place.
• Climographs include several kinds of
information.
• The green vertical bars on the
climograph on the following slide
represent average monthly amounts of
precipitation (rain, snow, or sleet).
(page 13)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Climographs (cont.)
• These bars
are measured
against the axis
on the right side
of the graph.
• The red line
plotted above the
bars represents
changes in the average monthly temperature.
• You measure this line against the axis on the
left side.

(page 13)

35
Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Diagrams
• Diagrams are drawings that show steps
in a process, point out the parts of an
object, or explain how something works.
• An elevation profile is a type of diagram
that can be helpful when comparing the
elevations—or heights—of an area.

(page 13)

Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Diagrams (cont.)
• An elevation profile is a type of diagram
that can be helpful when comparing the
elevations—or heights—of an area.

(page 13)

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Using Graphs, Charts, and Diagrams

Diagrams (cont.)
• It shows an exaggerated side view of the
land as if it were sliced and you were
viewing it from the side.
• The elevation profile of Africa on this
slide clearly shows sea level, low areas,
and mountains.

(page 13)

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