APHG-U1.1-3

Map Projection

the system used to transfer locations from earth's surface to a flat map

Distortion

problems created when "flattening" the earth (distance, direction, area, and shape)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

a computer system which could collect, store, retrieve and depict spatial date from the real world

Remote Sensing

the scanning of the earth's surface by satellite or a high flying airplane to obtain information about it

Quantitative Data

information represented with numbers

Qualitative Data

descriptive data represented with words

Landscape Analysis

Using techniques like field observations & photographic interpretations to help understand people, places and regions

Concentration

It refers to whether a feature is spread out evenly over space or clustered together

Pattern

Geometric arrangement of a feature in space

Density

The total number of objects in an area

Ex: 1,000 people per square mile

Spatial Thinking

looking for and explaining patterns of phenomena in an area

Dot Map

Choropleth Map

Isoline Map

Cartogram Map

Global Positioning System (GPS)

an example of a "satellite navigation system" which helps us determine absolute location of something

Reference Map

a map that gives you locations or the shortest route between two places.

Thematic Map

a map that illustrates a topic or feature of an area (e.g., climate)

Visualization

converting geographic data or ideas into graphics in order to better understand or communicate them

Mercator Projection

Gall-Peters Projection

Robinson Projection

Census Data

data acquired by the government about local areas throughout the US