LET’S TRY ONE
A map legend says darker shading means more residents per square kilometer. What does the shading represent?
Population density
Residents per unit area is a density measure.
Learning steps & teaching tips
Choose a map whose scale, projection or normalized measure fits a stated purpose.
- State the geographic question.
- Inspect the map's scale and the meaning of its symbols.
- Choose a representation suited to the question, rather than assuming one map preserves everything.
Try it together
Design two maps of an invented island: one for walking routes and one for regional population density. Explain why their legends and scales differ.
Read what the map measures and what its legend preserves before comparing places.