Map Reading

 

 

 

Define, in your own words, what a map is.

Ans:     a line drawing, to scale, of a portion of the earth’s surface as seen from above

  

List three common types of maps.

Ans:     (1)            city or state road maps            (2)            topographic maps            (3)            geographic maps

 

 The marginal information on a map gives you instructions on how to properly read and understand maps.  List four items of marginal information found on non-topographic maps.

Ans:     sheet or map name, bar scale, printing note and legend

NOTE:   The following questions refer to the map scale shown below.

 

 

The map scale pictured above is called a                                                                                   .

Ans:     bar scale

 The part of the map scale shown to the left of the zero (0) is called the                           .

Ans:     extension scale

  The part of the map scale shown to the right of the zero (0) is called the                         .

Ans:     primary scale

 To the right of the zero (0), the map scale pictured above is measured in                                    .

            a.         hundredths of a unit of measurement            b.         tenths of a unit of measurement

            c.         full units of measurement            d.         double units of measurement

Ans:     c

To the left of the zero (0), the map scale pictured above is measured in                          .

            a.         hundredths of a unit of measurement            b.         tenths of a unit of measurement

            c.         full units of measurement            d.         double units of measurement

Ans:     b

List the four steps required to orient a map by matching man-made or natural objects with their corresponding map features.

Ans:     (1)        choose two known man-made or natural objects            (2)        locate these objects as features on the map

            (3)        with the map flat, rotate the map until the map features match the real objects by direction

            (4)        verify that the features are aligned properly with other objects that can be seen

 

List two characteristics of topographic maps that make them preferred for military use.

Ans:     (1)        show terrain features and landforms in detail            (2)        portray elevation and relief in detail

 

 The marginal information used to indicate the direction and relationship of true, magnetic and grid

 north is called the                                                                                                                      .

Ans:     declination diagram

 

If, on a topographic map, one unit of measure is equal to 25,000 units of ground distance, the map scale would be written as                                                 .

            a.         1/25,000            b.         25,000/1            c.         1:25,000            d.         25,000:1

Ans:     c

 The diagram below represents a topographic map.  The circled numbers and blank lines indicate locations of specific marginal information commonly found on topographic maps.  Fill in the name or type of information associated with the positions indicated using the numbered spaces to the right of the map.  The circled number and the answer numbers are to agree.  Answers 2, 6 and 8 are filled in as examples.

 

1.                                              

2. sheet number                        

3.                                             

4.                                              

5.                                              

6. map scale/graphic scales        

7.                                             

8. credit note                            

9.                                             

10 .                                         

 Ans:     (1)        sheet name            (3)        index to adjoining sheets            (4)        special notes            (5)        declination diagrams

            (7)        contour interval note            (9)        grid reference box            (10)      legend

 

Column A gives descriptions or names of map symbols found on topographic maps and column B shows selected map symbols.  Match the symbol with the associated description/name by placing the applicable letter in the space to the left of the column A description/name.

    

a.

   b.

    

 

c.

   

d.

 

e.

  

 f.

 

 g.

 

h.

   

   i.

                        Non-monumented benchmark

 

                        Multiple track railroad

 

                        Church

 

                        School

 

                        Horizontal control station

 

                        Light duty, all weather road

 

 

 

 

Ans:     f, h, c, i, a, e

 

While topographic maps use the same five colors found on non-topographic maps, there are two more colors that are unique to topographic maps.  These colors are                                                           and                                                       .  

Ans:     brown and reddish-brown

Column A gives descriptions of types of contour lines found on topographic maps and column B lists examples of these.  Match the contour line with the description in column A by placing the applicable letter in the space to the left of the column A description.

Column A

 

            Every fifth contour line starting at zero elevation

 

            A contour line that shows sudden changes in elevation at least one-half of the contour interval

 

            Finely drawn contour line that does not show an elevation number

 

            Difference between one contour line and the next expressed in a unit of measurement

 

Ans:     e, c, g, d

Column B

 

a.         Contour break

b.         Primary contour

c.         Supplementary contour

d.         Contour interval

e.         Index contour

f.          Hachure

g.         Intermediate contour

 

   

NOTE:   The next four questions refer to the map labeled Illustration A.  The 100,000 meter square identifier is FL.

 

Illustration A

 

The four digit grid coordinate that best locates spot elevation 70 to within 1000 meters is  

            a.         FL0825            b.         LF0924            c.         LF0925            d.         FL0925

Ans:     d

  The four-digit grid coordinate that best locates the trail and stream crossing to within 1000 meters is

            a.         FL0824            b.         FL0825            c.         LF0924            d.         FL0925

Ans:     b

  The four-digit grid coordinate that best describes the stream junction to within 1000 meters is

            a.         FL0824            b.         FL0825            c.         FL0924            d.         FL0925

Ans:     c

  The four-digit grid coordinate that best locates spot elevation 50 to within 1000 meters is

            a.         LF0824            b.         FL0824            c.         FL0924            d.         FL0925

Ans:     b

NOTE:  The next four questions refer to the map labeled Illustration B.  The 100,000 meter square identifier is FL.  Do not use a coordinate scale to answer these question.

 

Illustration B

 

The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates spot elevation 210 to with 100 meters is

            a.         LF053506            b.         FL056503            c.         FL063506            d.         LF066513

Ans:     b

  The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates one of the trail and stream crossings to within 100 meters is

            a.         FL052517            b.         FL057514            c.         FL068509            d.         FL068519

Ans:     c

  The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates spot elevation 310 to within 100 meters is

            a.         FL056503            b.         LF057517            c.         FL062509            d.         FL067517

Ans:     d

The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates the trail junction with in 100 meters is

            a.         Fl057512            b.         FL057514            c.         FL067517            d.         FL068509

Ans:     b

   

NOTE:  The next four questions refer to the map labeled Illustration C.  The 100,000 meter identifier is FL.  Use a coordinate scale to answer these questions.

 

Illustration C

 

The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates the trail junction to within 100 meters is

            a.         LF021216            b.         FL024208            c.         FL033216            d.         FL033214

Ans:     c

 

  The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates spot elevation 350 to within 100 meters is

            a.         FL021218            b.         LF021218            c.         FL021208            d.         FL031218   

Ans:     a

  The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates spot elevation 470 to within 100 meters is  

            a.         LF025205            b.         FL033216            c.         LF033216            d.         FL035205

Ans:     d

 

The six-digit grid coordinate that best locates the trail intersection to within 100 meters is 

            a.         LF021216            b.         FL024208            c.         FL033216            d.         FL033215

Ans:     b

Column A gives descriptions of symbols found on certain non-typographic maps and column B shows selected symbols.  Match the symbol with the appropriate description by placing the applicable letter in the space to the left of the column A description.

 

Column B

                        State capital 

                        Interstate highway 

                        Military airport 

                        Historic site 

                        U.S. highway 

                        Small, local airport

 

 

 

Ans:     e, g, c, b, d, a

 

 

a.

   b.

    

 c.

      

d.

 

e.

   f.

 

  g.

    

h.

   

i.

 

Column B

 



Five basic colors are used on non-topographic maps to represent man-made and natural features.  Column A is a list of features and column B is a list of the basic colors.  Match the color with the appropriate feature by placing the applicable letter in the space to the left of the column A feature.

 

Column A

                        Water features, such as rivers, lakes and swamps 

                        Vegetation, such as woods and grasslands 

                        Man-made features, such as populated areas and main roads 

                        Areas with no vegetation

                        Man-made features, such as buildings and some roads

Ans:     c, h, a, f, d

Column B

 

a.         Green

b.         Yellow

c.         Black

d.         White

e.         Orange

f.          Red

g.         Grey

h.         Blue