Fundamentals of

MAPS and
Topographic maps

Book -1
Std -10
 What is a Map?
• Pictorial Representation
• Part or whole of the earth’s
surface
• Drawn to scale
• On a flat sheet of paper
 Elements of a map

1. Title
2. Scale
3. Grid
4. Direction
5. Key
 Title
• Represents
– Name of the region depicted
– Theme of the map

• Example
– INDIA (Name of region)
– PHYSICAL (Theme of the map)
 Scale
• Ratio
– Distance between two places on map
– Distance between same two places on ground

• Can be expressed as
• Statement (2 cm = 1 km OR
2 cm to 1 km)
• Representative Fraction
(1:50000)
• Linear Scale
 Understanding Scale
• Scale
Distance between two places on map (a)
Distance between the same two places on ground (b)
 Statement to R.F.
• If a = 2 cm; b = 1 km

• Scale = 2cm / 1 km OR

2 cm / 1 X 1000 X 100 cm OR

1 cm / 50000 cm OR

1 : 50000
 Large Scale Maps v/s Small Scale Maps
Small Scale Large Scale
Scale Smaller number Larger number

Example of 1 cm = 100 km 2 cm = 1 km
Scale
OR OR

1/10000000 2/100000

OR OR

1: 10,00,000 1:50,000
Area depicted More Less

Details Less More

Example India Rajkot

 Grid
• Set of
– Vertical lines
– Horizontal lines
– Examples
• Latitudes & Longitudes
• Northings & Eastings
• Used to locate places
• Draw an area to proportion
on map
• Could be used to
determine area
 Direction
• Angular distance
– From observer’s position
– To any place on map
– With respect to NORTH
(Position of Pole Star)

• Can be expressed as
– Conventions (N, S, E, W, etc.)
– Bearing OR Azimuth (Angle)
 Direction
Angle NOP is the direction

Can be expressed as N
P
45°
(0 to 360; clockwise)
OR
O

NE
 NW N NE

NNE

W E

S SE
SW
 Key or Legend
• Set of
– Colours
– Symbols
– Shading patterns

• Used to depict ground

features on the map