Methods of Geographic Inquiry

Geographic skills you need to study Geography!

Geography’s Basic Tools

Let us begin with:

A Map is a simplified representation of the real earth. It is a scaled down version of the real world. This scaled down version is in proportion to the real world. A map is usually on a 2D surface (flat) trying to represent a 3D image..

Map Projections

Definition: When the features of a globe are transferred (projected) onto flat surfaces.

• Since the globe is in 3D and a flat surface is in 2D. All maps are created by projecting the 3D globe onto a 2D surface.

• Therefore all 2D maps have some “Distortion”.

There are many types of “Map projections” that try to deal with distortion. A 2D map can never eliminate ALL of the distortion. So each map projection tries to preserve some of the following: 1. Lambert Azimuthal - tries to preserve AREA 2. Mercator projection - tries to preserve DIRECTION 3. Robinson - tries to preserve SHAPE 4. Sinusoidal - tries to preserve DISTANCE

Canada – Lambert Conformal Conic (Area)

Mercator Projection (Direction)

Robinson Projection (Shape)

Sinusoidal Projection (Distance)

Goode’s Projection (Unusual - Area)

Basic requirements of a Map • Title – must make sense and stand out • Legend – if required, describes units • Border – Map and/or Frame border • Scale – usually Linear • Direction – North Arrow • Overall neatness • Balance!! Very little white space.

Points on a Compass • A compass is a way of finding direction • The four cardinal points are N, E, S, W • The twelve ordinal points are NE, SE, SW, NW, NNE, ENE, ESE, SSE, SSW, WSW, WNW, NNW • The points all have corresponding degrees of a circle (0 ° → 360°)

Scale Three ways to show scale: 1. Linear Scale – 2. Ratio or Representative Fraction – 1:10 000 000 3. Statement – One Cm on the map is equal to 100 Km in real life Note : Be able to convert back and forth

A map with a scale of 1:17 500 000 shows the entire earth as if high up in space. Since things appear small on this map this type of scale is called a ‘small-scale’. As you approach the earth and get closer and see more things in detail (things get larger), this type of scale is called a ‘large scale’. An example would be something like 1:500.

Remember 1:1 is real life size!

Small Scale Large Scale

Large Scale Maps Area

Small

Small Scale Maps

Large Scale

Detail

A lot (streets, schools, railways, …) A little (borders, lakes, large rivers, …)

Example

Topographic maps, road maps, city bus maps Globes, world maps, atlases

Scale – Mapping Our Location

Building Footprint

Scale – Mapping Our Location

Neighbourhood

Scale – Mapping Our Location

Zoom out - Community

Scale – Mapping Our Location

Township - County

Scale – Mapping Our Location

Southern Ontario

Scale – Mapping Our Location

Ontario

Scale – Mapping Our Location

Canada

Scale – Mapping Our Location

World

Latitude and Longitude

• Grid work of lines extending north-south and east-west.

• Latitude is measured north and south of the equator • Longitude is measured east and west from the prime meridian.

• This is different from the way you measure your usual x and y co-ordinates in math.

Latitude and Longitude

North Pole Arctic Circle Tropic of Cancer Equator Tropic of Capricorn Antarctic Circle South Pole 90 o N 66.5

o N 23.5

o N 0 o 23.5

o S 66.5

o S 90 o S

Canada has 6 Time Zones Lines on the Earth – Time Zones

Reading Maps – Locating Places on a Map

We can use grid systems to locate places on a map. The 3 grid systems used today are: 1. Latitude and Longitude 2. Military Grid 3. Alphanumeric Grid

Military Grid

• A grid of blue lines on a map ( eastings and northings ) is used to identify squares in a grid pattern.

• This grid system is used mainly on topographic maps.

Why was the military grid system introduced?

• It was easier to place a grid system on a map then to use degrees, minutes and seconds from a globe.

• With the increasing range in artillery in WWI, latitude and longitude was too cumbersome.

Reading a Military Grid

Easting: vertical line running from top to bottom on a topographic map Northing: horizontal line across the topographic map.

Reading a Military Grid

By combining the digits from the easting and from the northing we are able to identify a square on the map.

An Example: 567893 567 – Find the vertical 56 line and then go to the right 7.

893 – Find the horizontal 89 line and then go up 3.

90 89 88 87 567893 56 57 58 59 60

Alphanumeric Grid

• This system uses

NUMBERS

grid pattern.

LETTERS

and to identify squares in a • This grid system is used mainly on Road Maps.

Reading an Alphanumeric Grid

The LETTERS lines.

The NUMBERS running from the top to the bottom of the map.

represent the horizontal represent the lines The Alphanumeric grid system is not as accurate as the Military grid system or Latitude and Longitude.

1 2 3 4 A B C D

Map Types

We need different types of maps to portray different information The three most common types are: 1. General Purpose Maps 2. Thematic Maps 3. Topographic Maps 4.

Digital Maps

General Purpose Maps

Thematic Maps

Topographic Maps - Contours

Alpha-Numeric – Street Maps

An example of a General Purpose Map

Digital Maps – from Google Maps What are some of the advantages of these type of new maps?

Other Geographic Tools: • G.P.S. – Chapter 3 • G.I.S. – Chapter 5 • Aerial Photos – Chapter 6 • Remote Sensing – Satellite Imagery – Chapter 7 • Graphs – Circle (Pie), Bar, Line – Chapter 8

G.P.S.

G.I.S.

Aerial Photos

Remote Sensing Perth, Australia

Graphs

The End!