AP HUG 08/21

Asking/Answering Geographic Questions

The process geographers use to investigate spatial patterns, asking where things are located, why they are there, and how they interact with human activity.

Photographs

Ground-level, aerial, or drone images used to visually analyze physical landscape features and cultural characteristics.

Charts and Graphs

Visual summaries of statistical data (like population pyramids or climate graphs) used to identify geographic trends.

Reference Maps

Maps designed to show general geographic locations and features without emphasizing a single theme (e.g., political maps, physical maps, road maps).

Thematic Maps

Maps designed to highlight a specific variable or spatial pattern across a geographic area (e.g., choropleth, dot density, or proportional symbol maps).

Map Projections and Distortion

Mathematical techniques used to project Earth's 3D curved surface onto a 2D flat map, which inevitably distorts shape, area, distance, or direction.

Map Scale

The mathematical ratio comparing the distance on a map to the actual distance on Earth's surface (e.g., 1 inch = 10 miles).

Quantitative Data

Information measurable by numbers, quantities, or statistics (e.g., population density, birth rates).

Qualitative Data

Descriptive, observational, or subjective information (e.g., interviews, field notes, travel journals).

Geospatial Data (intro)

Any data containing spatial identifiers that link it to a specific location on Earth.

Spatial Information and Analysis

Examining how objects, events, or human behaviors are arranged across space and identifying relationships between locations.

Geo-referenced Phenomena

Real-world events or physical objects linked to explicit coordinate locations (latitude and longitude) on Earth.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Computer hardware and software used to layer, analyze, and display multiple sets of spatial data.

Satellite Navigation (GPS)

A system of satellites and receivers used to pinpoint absolute locations and track movement on Earth.

Remote Sensing

Collecting data about Earth's surface from a distance, typically using sensors on aircraft, drones, or satellites.

Satellite Imagery

High-resolution digital photographs taken from space to monitor environmental changes, land use, or urban growth.

Demographic Data (Census)

Official population counts and demographic surveys collected at regular intervals to analyze population traits.

Government Uses

Applied to urban planning, redrawing voting districts, building public infrastructure, and managing public safety.

Disaster Response Uses

Applied to mapping real-time hazards (wildfires, floods), planning evacuation routes, and distributing emergency aid.

Business Uses

Applied to site selection for new stores, mapping customer demographics, and optimizing supply chains.

Personal Decision Making Uses

Applied in everyday choices, such as using navigation apps for traffic routing, choosing neighborhood homes, or locating local services.