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Map Fundamentals Elements Scale Distance April 2020

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7 views9 pages

Map Fundamentals Elements Scale Distance April 2020

Uploaded by

rmtlhokomelo5
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Scale & distance

April 2020

ESC 1311
Scale
The first essential element is the scale
when making a map
It determines the amount of detail that
will be included on the map
This is the relationship between any two
points on the map to the corresponding
distances in reality (ground)
Distances on the map are always
expressed as one (1)
Scale
 The scale of a map is the ratio of the distance measured upon the map
and its actual distance which they represent on the ground

 Types of scales:
 Word scale: scale represented verbally

 Graphic or Bar scale: the scale is shown by means of one or more


graduated straight lines which are subdivided into units of ground distance.
One end of the bar scale is usually subdivided further to allow one to make
accurate measurements

 Consists of two types: long and short line scales

 Long line scale: found mainly on large scale maps, accurate


measurements can actually be made

 Short line scale: found mainly on small scale maps, it merely gives a
general idea of the actual distances between two points
 Representative/fractional scale (RF): the scale of
a map is expressed as a fraction or ratio that
relates unit distances on the map to that on the
ground measured in the same units on the ground
 Numerical values may be written in various ways but all of
them mean the same thing
 1: 25 000 1: 25, 000 1/25 000 1/25, 000

 Area scale: this refers to the ratio of


areas on the map to those on the earth
Map symbols
 These are symbols used for features e.g. roads, rivers, boundaries etc
 These symbols are used because cartographers do not portray phenomenon as
it appears, hence they make use of map symbols – these are simplified or
generalized sketches of the actual phenomenon
 They help to convey the message of the cartographer to the map users
 Types of symbols
 Point symbols – position of symbol coincides with actual location of feature

 Line symbols – represent linear features, location of symbols coincides with actual
location of line feature

 Polygon symbols – depicts polygon features

 Qualitative symbol – indicates kind only, e.g. post office, police station,
borehole, shop hotel etc
 Quantitative symbol – depicts kind and quantity
Visual variables
 These are visual means of varying the graphic elements/symbols used on the map so that
we may see differences or relationships available on our maps, these variations are in
 Size: these could be in terms of length or area of symbol, differences between values could be
perceived easily

 Texture and structure: allows one to see the differences between symbols or group of symbols

 Color: mainly on thematic maps. Warm colors (red, green, red-orange, yellow) used to represent
important elements or higher. Cool colors (blue, violet) represent less important or weak elements

 Lightness or variation in value: variation in intensity of colour, shades of grey, blue, green

 Grain: size of graphic element forming a symbol is modified by enlargement or reduction we


obtain a variation in grain

 Orientation: can be a graphic or geometric variable. It is the only visual variable that can provide
effective representation of dynamic phenomenon; directions, movements, migrations etc

 shape
Quantitative symbols
 Dot maps
 Based on the principle that each dot represents one or more
of the same element. The distribution of the dots on the
map gives an idea of the actual distribution of that
phenomenon on the earth’s surface
 When compiling them beware of the dot value, dot size, so
that the dot do not represent either too many or too few
units
 They should be of the same size not too small or too big
 They should be placed in such a way that they depict actual
differences in the density of their distribution
Proportional symbols

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