Historical mapmakers, map projections, compass rose trivia, and longitude.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
On political maps, what do dashed black lines usually mark?
Black lines separate countries and states, while rivers and lakes appear in blue.
On celestial maps, what line marks the yearly path of the Sun?
The ecliptic tilts about 23.5 degrees to the celestial equator because Earth orbits with a tilted axis.
Which azimuthal projection preserves the true relative area of continents?
The Lambert azimuthal equal-area projection keeps every region proportional, so continent sizes compare fairly.
Nautical charts use small anchor symbols to mark what?
Charts often note seabed type near anchor marks because mud and sand hold anchors better than rock.
What land unit does a cadastral plat map label with a lot number?
A plat map draws every parcel in a subdivision with its boundaries, lot number, and street frontage.
In the U.S. Public Land Survey, what six-mile-square division organizes cadastral maps?
Each township spans 36 square miles and divides into 36 one-mile sections for deeds and titles.
The Prime Meridian marks zero degrees of which geographic measurement?
Longitude is measured east or west from Greenwich up to 180 degrees on the opposite side of the globe.
Which two projections does the Goode projection combine into one world map?
Goode uses the Sinusoidal projection near the equator and the Mollweide projection near the poles.
Which four directions appear on a basic compass rose?
The four cardinal points sit at right angles, with north traditionally placed at the top of the rose.
What do darker shades usually show on a choropleth map?
Darker colors signal larger numbers, so readers can spot high and low regions at a glance.