Page 20 - Key to Social Studies 3

Scale

Maps are a scale model of the real world. A map’s scale shows the relationship between

the distance on the map and the actual distances on Earth. For example, 5 cm on a street

map may equal 1 km if you were to walk down the street.

Symbols

Cartographers, or map makers, use symbols to represent geographic features. For

example, you might see a symbol of a tree to represent a forest, or a building with the

letter H to represent a hospital.

You will also see a compass rose on a map to help you know which direction is north, east,

south, or west.

A compass rose is an image or gure made by the cartographers to help

you know the proper direction of streets, cities, countries, and so on.

Grids

Maps often include a grid pattern, or a series of crossing lines that create squares or

rectangles. A grid helps us locate places more easily on a map.

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