(Assigned Tues., Aug. 30, for Tues., Sept. 6)
From the CD, Introduction to Topographic Maps, 1998,
Tasa Graphic Arts. Inc., Chapters 1-4, 7, and 8.
The "Reading Questions" below are designed to help you focus on
what we think are some of the most important parts of the CD, Introduction
to Topographic Maps. Although you don't need to hand in your answers to
these questions, answering them should help you prepare for the topographic
mapping activities in class on Tuesday, September 6. Pre-class Exercise #1,
which is due at the beginning of class on that day, is also based on these portions
of the CD.
Detailed Instructions for Viewing the CD:
- Insert the CD into the CD drive on a suitable computer (Windows PC or Mac).
Locate the CD icon on your computer (this will differ on PCs and Macs) and
double click on it. The Introduction to Topographic Maps program
should start up, possibly accompanied by some pleasant though mildly dramatic,
blood-stirring music. Hold onto your hats!
- You will be presented with a diagram showing the kinds of buttons that
you will see in this exercise that allow you to control it. Note in particular
the three across the top row, which allow you to move forward, backward, and
back to the main "chapter" menu. Also note the right-hand button
in the second row, which says "Is This Right?" That button allows
you to find out whether or not your answer to any particular multiple-choice
question in the exercise is correct. Take advantage of it! When you've familiarized
yourself with the way most of the control buttons look, click on the "Click
to Advance" button.
- Now you'll see the main menu, a table of contents, showing that the exercise
consists of twelve parts or "chapters", including a review at the
end. You can go to any chapter by clicking on it from this main menu. You
can return to this main menu from many parts of the exercise by clicking on
the square button in the lower right-hand corner of many of the exercise's
pages. Click on Chapter 1, "Introduction".
- You should work your way through chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 8 (and any
others that you have the time and interest to investigate). As you complete
the exercise, try to answer both the questions posed by the exercise itself
and our "Reading Questions", below. (You won't hand these in, but
your are responsible for knowing the answers!) When you're done, return to
the Main Menu and click on the "Quit" button (lower right-hand corner).
Reading Questions for Introduction to Topographic Maps
Keep an eye out for answers to the questions below as you work through the
corresponding chapters of the exercise.
- Introduction
- Identify 3 uses of topographic maps.
- General Topographic Map Information
- What is meant by magnetic declination?
- Map Scale
- Will the fractional scale 1/24,000 show more or less detail than the
scale 1/100,000?
- Location: Latitude and Longitude
- Why are latitude lines called parallels? What aspect of location—position
east/west or north/south—to latitude lines tell us? Relative to
where?
- What aspect of location—position east/west or north/south—do
longitude lines tell us? Relative to where?
- Are longitude lines parallel to each other? How can you tell?
(Skip Chapters 5 and 6, unless you have time to do them)
- Principles of Contour Lines
- Why can contour lines never cross one another?
- Do widely spaced contour lines reflect steeper or gentler slopes than
closely spaced contour lines?
- Using Contour Lines
- What are three uses of contour lines?
- What is meant by topographic relief?
References:
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