This document discusses cartographers' tools used to understand location and geography. It defines key terms like maps, globes, map projections and mental mapping. It explains different types of maps like political, physical, reference and thematic maps. It also discusses important map elements like keys, scale bars and compass roses. It describes globes and how they represent Earth spheroidally. It notes how geographic information systems (GIS) convert geographic data into digital form to produce maps.

1. Unit 1-Study of Geography
Part 3
Cartographers’ Tools

2. Learning Objectives
• I can identify the elements of maps,
charts, and globes
• I can differentiate between map types and
projections and explain their purpose.
2

3. 3
What Tools Help Us Understand Our
Location in Relation to Other Locations?

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

5. • Cartography – the art of map making

6. • Map – a representation of an area.
slc

7. • Types of Maps
1. Political - names and boundaries of countries, cities, etc.
• Ex. Political map of the world

8. 2. Physical - show physical features.

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

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

12. 12
3. Reference Map
• Shows location of places and geographic
features
• Absolute location
Ex. Roadmap

13. 13
4. Thematic Map
• Tells the story or reveals patterns of a
specific attribute.

14. • 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 most
Little distortion, most balanced
Shows true size & shape but distance
is distorted
Mercator

15. 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 world
1
5

16. Types of Distortion
• 1. Shape
• 2. Distance
• 3. Relative Size
• 4. Direction

17. • Map Elements
1. Key/legend
a. Explains lines, symbols and colors
2. Scale bar
a. Shows distance-ratio of actual ground distance to that shown on map

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

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

20. • The sun rises in the east . . .
Wasatch Mountains east of
Sandy.

21. . . . and sets in the west.
Downtown SLC

22. 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?

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

24. Idaho is up and Arizona is down.

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

26. • Atlas – a collection of maps in a book.

27. 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.

28. • Globe – a spherical representation of Earth.

29. Direct Route
Which route is longer/shorter?

30. • Great Circle Route - Imaginary line that
follows the curve of earth.
- Who uses it and why?

31. The Great Circle Route looks longer, however, it is actually a shorter route.
Airline pilots
Benefits – reduce travel time and
saves fuel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X
BwjQsOEeg&feature=related

32. • Mental Mapping– A map in your head..

33. TextIsIs there bias here?

37. -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.
p. 15 in text

38. 38