Thinking Spatially

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This Thinking Spatially exercise is designed to provide you with experience in the interpretation of maps and diagrams in order to better understand the spatial patterns in Earth's physical systems.

This activity contains 2 questions.

Topographic Map Interpretation

The letters A through D appear on an image associated with this question.

This question presents 4 items numbered 1.1 through 1.4. Each item is presented with a pulldown menu containing the letters A through D. For each item below, use the pull-down menu to select the letter that labels the correct part of the image.

1.1 Topographic maps usually show elevation using contour lines (lines connecting points of equal elevation). This contour map represents a region of high relief along the continental divide near Estes Park, Colorado. The contour lines correspond to elevation in meters. Which point has an elevation of 3100 meters?
1.2 Which point has an elevation of 2900 meters?
1.3 Which point has an elevation of 2800 meters?
1.4 Which point has an elevation of less than 2700 meters?

The various geographic information technologies discussed in your text (GIS, GPS, remote sensing) promise to revolutionize many aspects of modern life. How are they being used now, and what sorts of changes might we expect in the near future? Use our GeoSearch and Web Links sections to find examples, and write a brief description of what you find. Be sure to include URLs for the sites you visit. Here is another good beginning point:

Geospatial and Statistical Data Center from the University of Virginia.
GeoData Information Sources (including remote sensing and GPS) from the University of Iowa's Center for Global & Regional Environmental Research.

To create paragraphs in your essay response, type <p> at the beginning of the paragraph, and </p> at the end.

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