Name_________________________ SSN______________ Recitation #______Group #______

Geography of the Non-Western World: GEO 105 Recitation

Lab #1 Map Skills Week of 4/3/00 (due week of 4/10-4/14)

Objective: To become acquainted with Goode's World Atlas, and to develop some basic map interpretation skills.

Part 1: Getting to know Goode's World Atlas

There is a wealth of information in Goode's World Atlas, but first you must know where to find it, and second, how to interpret it. This part of the assignment will help familiarize you with the atlas and give you some practice reading information from maps. You will obtain information from various parts of the atlas, so you may have to search a little for the answers to some questions. Answer each of the following in the spaces provided.

1. What cities have the following absolute locations? (Include the names of countries.)

a. 30° 15' N, 97° 42' W

b. 15° 47' S, 35° 00' E

2. What is the exact latitude and longitude of Corvallis, Oregon, in degrees and minutes?

3. Use the reference tables at the back of your atlas to answer the following questions.

a. What are the predominant languages spoken in Tunisia?

b. How long is the Tigris River? How does that compare with the length of the Columbia R.?

c. What is the height of Mt. Rainier? How does this compare with the height of Mt. Everest?

Part 2: Understanding Map Scale

The scale of a map tells the reader how large the area represented in the map is compared to the actual size of the earth. Large-scale maps show small areas of the earth in greater detail, while small-scale maps show larger areas in less detail. It is important to understand the concept of scale in order to interpret information from a map. Answer the following questions in the space provided. For questions involving calculations, you must show your work to receive full credit.

1. If a map has a scale (representative fraction, or RF) of 1:400,000, one inch on the map represents how many miles on the earth's surface? Round your answer to the nearest mile. (Hint: First calculate how many inches there are in a mile.)

2. A map has a scale of 1:400,000. Two places are 5 inches apart on the map. What is the distance (in miles) between the places?

3. Listed below are four common map scales. Circle the smallest and explain why it is the smallest.

1:250,000 1:24,000 1:1,000,000 1:62,500

Part 3: Understanding the Geographic Grid

It is important to understand the basics of longitude and latitude in order to locate places on a map, as well as to refer to general regions of the globe. This section of the assignment will help you learn the most important parallels and meridians, as well as perform some calculations involving the grid system.

1. Refer to the following diagram to answer questions a-j. Write the letter of the correct line of latitude in the blank next to each term or statement.

___ a. Arctic Circle

___ b. Tropic of Capricorn

___ c. Noon sun is directly overhead

on vernal (spring) equinox

___ d. 23 ½° N latitude

___ e. Equator

___ f. Tropic of Cancer

___ g. Antarctic Circle

___ h. Noon sun is directly overhead

on summer solstice

___ i. 90 N latitude

___ j. 66 ½° S latitude

2. Start with the latitude or longitude listed in the left, then find the new location by moving the number of degrees stated.

Example: Lat. 15° S move 35° N new location: 20° N

a. Lat. 55° N move 150° S new location:______________

b. Long. 120° E move 105° E new location:______________

c. Long. 60° W move 75° W new location:______________

3. a. Since the earth takes 24 hours to make one revolution about its axis, and since a circle has 360 degrees, how many degrees wide should each one-hour time zone be? (Show your calculation.)

b. Explain why, in reality, time zones are not of uniform width, but instead bend and curve around (see p. xii in your atlas.)