1. Can you find 7 Hearts in this picture here?

2. Next Geog Elect Class on Thursday
Bring protractor
Bring calculator
Bring string

3. Map Reading & Basic Techniques!
Read and interpret topographical maps

4. Mt Merapi
Mt Merapi is an active volcano in Indonesia that has erupted many times in the past. In 2006, it erupted again, affecting the lives of the thousands of people who live around it.

5. You can get info on Mt. Merapi from satellite images…

6. Satellite Image
of Mount Merapi

7. Satellite Image
of Mount Merapi

8. You can get info on Mt. Merapi from photographs

9. Mt. Merapi Volcanic Eruption in May 2007

10. Large amounts of volcanic ash covered vehicles, making visibility very poor.

11. Farming in fertile volcanic ash near Mt. Merapi

12. From Maps…

13. What other ways can we get more information about Mt Merapi’s height or geographical location?

14. Through a topographical map!

15. Understanding our environment
Read and interpret physical and human features on topographical maps.
Basic techniques of interpreting and evaluating geographical data, which may be represented in various forms, such as graphs, photographs and satellite maps.

16. Topo Maps provide you with info such as height, distance, gradient...

17. Looking at the Environment through Maps
Make sure you are familiar with the
following components of map-reading
Reading Topographical maps
Map Symbols (Legend)
Grid References
Compass Points
Scales
(Large Scale/ Small Scale)
5. Reading Contour Lines

18. What do all the lines and symbols mean?

19. Reading Topographical maps Map Symbols (Legend)

20. Map Symbols
(Legend)

21. How do I find out where a particular landform is found on the map?
How do I specify the location of a physical or human feature?

22. How to tell my friend how to get to the Post Office?

23. Northing and Easting 72 73 74 75 76
Northings are horizontal grid lines where their numbers increase from south to north. 85 84 83
Eastings are vertical grid lines that increase from west to east.

24. 4 Figure Grid Reference 6 Figure Grid Reference
How do I determine the exact location of a place using northings and eastings?
4 Figure Grid Reference
6 Figure Grid Reference

25. To find the four figure grid reference, draw a “L” around the square

26. Which direction first?

27. Always take the northing or easting with the smaller value!29 28 42 41

29. Reading Topographical maps Grid References
North to South Grid Lines: Eastings
East to West Grid Lines: Northings
Four Figure Grid Reference:
1521

30. Six figure grid references
180443
184441
181447
186448
188445

31. Reading Topographical maps Grid References
North to South Grid Lines: Eastings
East to West Grid Lines: Northings
Six Figure Grid Reference:
155217

32. Steps to deriving at the grid references
Locate the grid square where the feature is found.
Read the easting (vertical line) on the left of the grid square.
Read the northing (horizontal line) on the bottom of the grid square.
The four-figure grid reference consists of both the easting and the northing.
To derive at the six-figure grid references,
Divide the grid square into ten equal parts along the easting and northing, and number them from 0 to 9.
Estimate how far the centre of the feature is from the easting and the northing, using the scale in tenths.
The six-figure grid reference consists of both the easting and the northing and an estimation of how far the feature is from the easting and the northing based on a scale of 0 to 10.

33. Which direction should I go?
How to get to that place I want to go to on the map?
Which direction should I go?

34. Reading Topographical maps Compass Points
North Point

35. Cardinal Points 12 Intermediate Points North (N) South (S)
North East (NE)
North West (NW)
South East (SE)
South West (SW)
North-North-East (NNE)
East-North-East (ENE)
East-South-East (ESE)
South-South-East (SSE)
South-South-West (SSW)
West-South-West (WSW)
West-North-West (WNW)
North-North-West (NNW)
Cardinal Points
North (N) South (S)
East (E) West (W)

36. North
NNE
NNW NW NE
ENE
WNW
West
East
WSW
ESE SW SE
SSE
SSW
South

37. Determining Directions
Bearings are compass directions, which are used to obtain the precise directions of one place or feature with another.
They are measured in degrees in a clockwise direction from the north.

38. How to Determine Directions using Bearings?
To measure the bearing of B from A, draw a straight line joining the two points.
Draw a line parallel to the Grid North through A.
Place the centre of the protractor over A, with the 0° on the protractor pointing to the North.
Read the bearing off the protractor where the line AB cuts the outer edge of the protractor. A
131° B N

39. Let’s Practice how to read bearings
The bearing of C from A is 180° + 50° = 230°
The bearing of B from A is 100°

40. What happens if I want to drive or take a bus to my destination?
How do I find out what is the distance between the two points?
So that I can estimate how much time I need to get there?

41. Measuring distances
Ruler
Pen
String
Piece of paper

43. Measuring distances
Scale: ratio of a distance on a map to the actual distance on the Earth’s surface.

44. Depending on the area of focus, you can choose to zoom on the area at various scales

46. Representing a Scale on a map
As a statement in words
For example, 1 centimetre represents 1 kilometre.
This means that 1 centimetre on a map represents 1 kilometre on the Earth’s surface.
Therefore, if the distance of a road measured on a map is 9 centimetres, the actual distance of the road is 9 kilometres.

48. Representing a Scale on a map
2) As a representative fraction (R.F.)
This is expressed as a ratio or fraction, for example, 1: or 1/ may mean 1 milimetre represents milimetres or 1 centimetre represents centimetres and so on.
Distances can be easily calculated using the R.F. For example, if the distance of a HDB flat from a bus stop is 2 centimetres on a map (1 centimetre represents centimetres), then the actual distance is
= 2 X centimetres
= centimetres or 0.5 kilometres

49. Representing a Scale on a map
3) As a line or linear scale
A linear scale consists of a line that is divided into units and sub-units such that measurements can be read off easily and accurately.
A linear scale can be easily converted into a scale using a statement or a R.F.
For example, in the diagram below, a distance of 1 kilometre on the linear scale measures 2 centimetres. This means that 2 centimetres represent 1 kilometres or 1 centimetre represents 0.5 kilometres.
Metres 1000
Metres 1000 1 1 2 2
3 kilometres
3 kilometres
A linear scale
A linear scale

50. B) Reading Topographical maps 4) Scales (Large Scale/ Small Scale)

51. 4) Scales
(Large Scale/
Small Scale)

52. How do I know the height of the mountain I am climbing
How do I know the height of the mountain I am climbing? How do I find out how steep is the road I am going on?

53. Representing heights Spot height Bench mark
indicates the specific height of a point on a map.
Spot heights are not marked on the ground – they are found only on maps, represented by the a symbol ( ), with its height written next to it.
Bench mark
Surveyor’s mark cut in some durable material such as a rock or a building.
It indicates the height of a place above sea level.
A bench mark is represented by a symbol. ( ←)

54. Bench Mark

55. How to calculate height?

56. Representing heights
426
A trigonometrical point, is a circular metallic disc placed in the ground to show that specific height.
It is represented on a map by a symbol shown by a small triangle or a circle with a black dot inside, represents a concrete pillar called a trigonometrical station.
The height of a trigonometrical station is very accurately calculated above mean sea level. This height is printed alongside the trigonometrical point on the map.
Trigonometrical stations are usually found on hilltops and mountain peaks.
2546
3281

60. Representing heights
Gradient refers to the slope of a feature, such as a road, railway, or river.
A gradient may be written as an angle or as an ratio between the vertical rise in a given horizontal distance.

61. Representing heights
Gradient refers to the slope of a feature, such as a road, railway, or river.
A gradient may be written as an angle or as an ratio between the vertical rise in a given horizontal distance.
Vertical Height
160m
Gradient =
Horizontal Distance
60 m
3.6 km
Horizontal Distance =
Vertical Height
3.6 km
60m
60 m =
3600 m
100m
60 ÷ 60 =
3600 ÷ 60 1 = =
1:60 60

62. Reading and understanding the INFORMATION Contour Lines can provide
How do we read
Contour Lines?
Reading and understanding the INFORMATION
Contour Lines can provide

63. What information can I get from reading Contour Lines?
2) Slope
Contour Spacing on a topographic map indicates the slope of the land surface.
Steep: Contours are close together
Gentle: Contours are widely-spaced
Concave: the spaces between the contours decrease as height increases
Convex: the spaces between the contours increases as height increases
Uniform: the spaces between the contours remain the same
Stepped: the wide contour spacing alternates with narrow contour spacing

64. Steep Slope Gentle Slope

65. Concave Slope Convex Slope

66. Valley
Mountain
Plain
Plateau
Ridge
Hill