1. Central Place Theory

2. Computer Lab – Room 416 1. Open up a new PowerPoint presentation. 2. Define: Market Area (hinterland) Range Service Threshold 2. Where is the best location of a service such as a McDonalds? Central Place Theory

3. Google Earth Go to Google Earth and fly to Seattle. Once you are there, put the term “McDonalds” into the locational box. The restaurants will be identified. Go to “Edit” and “Copy Image.” Go to your PPT presentation and paste the image. Go to “Insert” and “Shapes” to find a hexagon. Place a hexagon in a Central Place pattern around each McDonalds location. (you will have to change the hexagon to “No Fill” to make it transparent)

4. Discussion Questions Are the market areas the same size? Are there concentrations of populations in some of the areas, i.e. are the thresholds the same size? Would concentrations of college students/apartment complexes influence the locations? Would the locations of businesses with large work forces influence the range? If the community had a large elderly population would that change the threshold therefore influencing the range for each restaurant? Are there “gaps”? Where would people go if they were not in one of the market areas? Where would the next McDonalds be built? Do the transportation routes influence where people would stop? What other factors might influence where people would stop?