APHUG Unit 2 Study cards

Quantitative data

Data that focuses on numbers

Qualitative data

descriptive data or observations

Quantitative data example

population of a city

Qualitative data example

transcripts from court

Census

population count of a defined area

GIS (geographic information system)

a computer that displays geographic data that can be used for simple or complex maps

Topography

the surface features of land

remote sensing

collecting data without physical contact (satellites)

GPS (global positioning system)

a system of satellites used for precise location

The why of where

why things are where they are and the shape they are

cartographer

a person who makes maps

absolute distance

distance that can be measured with a standard length unit

relative distance

Distance measured in terms such as cost or time

example of absolute distance

the park is 6 km from here

example of relative distance

The park is 15 minutes from here

absolute direction

cardinal directions

relative direction

Directions such as left, right up based on people's perception of places

map scale

The relationship between the size of the map and the size of the actual feature on Earth

reference map

a map displaying information about geographical locations (rivers, mountains, countries)

thematic maps

maps focused on one topic or theme

graduated symbol map

different sized symbols representing quantative data

dot maps

maps with dots on locations of different observations or phenomena

idiographic data

data that is unique to an area

nomothetic data

universally applicable concepts

Projection

converting an image of the earth into a 2d map

Mercator Projection

distorts size and shape

Mollweide Projection

distorts shape and angle

Robinson Projection

distorts all values in minor amounts - most accurate

equidistant projection

distorts shape and distance farther from the center

Fuller Projection

accurate shape and size but rearanges direction

Peters Projection

accurate size distorted shape

Chropleth Map

a map using shading colouring or symbols

Isoline Map

A map with lines that connect points of equal value.

Cartogram

a map that uses size distortion to show higher data values