Introduction to the Mapping & GIS
Exercise #6
Part I Exercise in UTM & SPC Coordinates and Topographic Maps
Name:
The first part of this exercise provides you with experience in reading UTM and state plane coordinates from a United
States Geological Survey topographic map and in plotting those coordinates on the map. Additionally, the exercise aims
to provide you with some basic familiarity with maps in this series. To complete the exercise you need the following
materials:
1.
A map of the Pitman East, New Jersey Quadrangle [1:24,000]
2.
A calculator or decent arithmetic skills
3.
A ruler or straight edge [not strictly needed]
A few basic questions about the map:
1.
What projection was used to draw the map?
2.
Why do you think the cartographers selected this projection?
Some things to notice on the map:
1.Which is the name of the quadrangle map directly south of this map? What is the name of the
quadrangle map to the south-west of this map?
Latitude and longitude notations at 2 ½ minute intervals are plotted along the margins. For instance, at
the bottom left corner you can read 75° 07' 30”. As you proceed to the right hand border you will notice
the notation for 5’ (abbreviation for 75° 05' 00” – exactly 2 ½ minutes less than 75° 07' 30”). If you could
see further on the map in both the X and Y directions you would have a similar tick mark indicated every
2 1/2 minutes.
2.Contour lines. What does a contour line tell you? What is the contour interval used on the map?
The blue tics along the margins are for the UTM Grid. These tics are spaced at intervals of 1,000 meters.
If you could see the upper-left and lower-right corners of the map, you would see the full UTM distance
in meters printed in the margins. Every place else on the map (including the corner you can see on your
map) the values are written with the last 4 zeros truncated to save space. The small raised digit(s)
represents the 100,000 of meters place. For example, going east across your map you’ll see the first blue
tic labeled 490 and then 491 etc. This indicates 490,000 meters and 491,000 meters east of the zone 18
origin respectively.
Page 1
3.What is the value of the easting at the blue tic located just to the west of the (Newfield) label on the
southern border of the map?
4.What is the value for the northing of the blue tic located closest to the 553 roadway label along the
western border of the map?
5.UTM coordinates are plane coordinates. In the northern hemisphere what is the location of the origin
for:
Northings:
Eastings:
6. What is the UTM Zone for this map?
7. Estimate the UTM coordinates for the intersection of Franklinville Road and Little Mill Road:
Easting
Northing
8. What place or feature is located at approximately at 494,400 E and 4,387,000 N?
State Plane
The black tics along the margins are for the New Jersey state plane coordinate system.
Notice the state plane coordinate system easting notations along the bottom margin of the map:
9. What is the value depicted at the tic?:
10. Notice the state plane coordinate system northing notations a along the lower portion of the left
margin: What is the value depicted at the tic:
11. According to the map statement, what is the size of the interval between adjacent black tics?
Black tic interval is:
in units of
12. Using the NJ State Plane tics and the scale bar on the map, determine what is located at 290,200 feet
north and 1,870,900 feet east?
2
Part II Exercise in Scale Manipulation
Name:
1. Suppose that for a graduation present your rich uncle gives you a globe that is 36 inches in
diameter. He tells you that if you can calculate the scale of the globe, he will pay for your
around the world trip during the summer after graduation. For this globe, how many miles on
the ground does each inch on the globe represent.
SHOW YOUR WORK:
ANSWER: One inch on the globe represents
miles on the ground.
2. You have a map that has a word scale of one inch represents twenty miles. As a geographer
you find the representative fraction more meaningful for indicating map scale. Convert this
verbal scale to a representative fraction.
SHOW YOUR WORK:
ANSWER: RF = 1 :
3
3. On the map of Kansas and Nebraska, notice two points: one labeled "A" and the other "B."
On the earth, these two points are 476.2 miles apart. Construct a graphic scale and draw it across
the bottom of the map. The scale should depict distances in miles and should have the
following breaks:
50 25 0
50
100
150
SHOW YOUR WORK:
4
4. Determine the representative fraction for the Kansas and Nebraska map.
SHOW YOUR WORK:
ANSWER: RF = 1 :
5. Suppose that you have a map that has rather detailed lines of latitude and longitude, but which is lacking a
scale of any kind. You do, however, know that the standard parallel is 40 degrees north. On the map, along
the 40th parallel north, the distance between 78 degrees west longitude and 75 degrees west longitude is 3.56
inches. Calculate the representative fraction for this map.
SHOW YOUR WORK:
ANSWER: RF =
1:
5