`color{green}(•)` Maps are drawings, which reduce the entire world or a part of it to fit on a sheet of paper.

`color{green}(•)` Or we can say maps are drawn to reduced scales.

`color{green}(•)` But this reduction is done very carefully so that the distance between the places is real.

`color{green}(•)` It can only be possible when a small distance on paper represents a large distance on the ground.

`color{green}(•)` Therefore, a scale is chosen for this purpose.

`color{green}(•)` Scale is the ratio between the actual distance on the ground and the distance shown on the map.

`color{green}(•)` For example, the distance between your school and your home is 10 km.

`color{green}(•)` If you show this 10 km. distance by 2 cm on a map, it means, 1 cm on the map will show 5 km. on the ground.

`color{green}(•)` The scale of your drawing will be 1cm = 5 km.

`color{green}(•)` Thus, scale is very important in any map.

`color{green}(•)` If you know the scale, you will be able to calculate the distance between any two places on a map.

`color{green}(•)` When large areas like continents or countries are to be shown on a paper, then we use a small scale.

`color{green}(•)` For example 5 cm. on the map shows 500 km. of the ground.

`color{green}(•)` It is called a small scale map.

`color{green}(•)` When a small area like your village or town is to be shown on paper, then we use a large scale that is 5 cm. on the map shows 500 metres only on the ground.

`color{green}(•)` It is called a large scale map.

`color{green}(•)` Large scale maps give more information than small scale maps.

`color{green}(•)` Most maps contain an arrow marked with the letter ‘N’ at the upper right hand corner.

`color{green}(•)` This arrow shows the north direction.

`color{green}(•)` It is called the north line.

`color{green}(•)` When you know the north, you can find out other directions, for example east, west and south.

`color{green}(•)` There are four major directions, North, South, East and West {Figure 4.2 (a)}.

`color{green}(•)` They are called cardinal points. Other four intermediate directions are north-east (NE), southeast(SE), south-west (SW) and north-west (NW).

`color{green}(•)` We can locate any place more accurately with the help of these intermediate directions

`color{green}(•)` Find out the following directions from the Figure 4.1: (a) The direction of the Community Centre, the playground from Vikas’s house (b) the direction of school from shops.

`color{green}(•)` We can find out the direction of a place with the help of a compass.

`color{green}(•)` It is an instrument used to find out main directions.

`color{green}(•)` Its magnetic needle always points towards north-south direction {Figure 4.2 (b)}.

`color{green}(•)` It is the third important component of a map.

`color{green}(•)` It is not possible to draw on a map the actual shape and size of different features such as buildings, roads, bridges, trees, railway lines or a well.

`color{green}(•)` So, they are shown by using certain letters, shades, colours, pictures and lines These symbols give a lot of information in a limited space.

`color{green}(•)` With the use of these symbols, maps can be drawn easily and are simple to read.

`color{green}(•)` Even if you don’t know the language of an area and therefore cannot ask someone for directions, you can collect information from maps with the help of these symbols.

`color{green}(•)` Maps have a universal language that can be understood by all.

`color{green}(•)` There is an international agreement regarding the use of these symbols.

`color{green}(•)` These are called conventional symbols.

`color{green}(•)` Some of the conventional symbols are shown in the Figure 4.3.

`color{green}(•)` Various colours are used for the same purpose. For example, generally blue is used for showing water bodies, brown for mountain, yellow for plateau and green is used for plains.

`color{green}(•)` A sketch is a drawing mainly based on memory and spot observation and not to scale.

`color{green}(•)` Sometimes a rough drawing is required of an area to tell where a particular place is located with respect to other places.

`color{green}(•)` Suppose, you want to go to your friend’s house, but you don’t know the way.

`color{green}(•)` Your friend may make a rough drawing to show the way to his house.

`color{green}(•)` Such a rough drawing is drawn without scale, and is called a sketch map.

`color{green}(•)` A plan is a drawing of a small area on a large scale.

`color{green}(•)` A large-scale map gives lot of information, but there are certain things which we may sometimes want to know for example the length and breadth of a room, which can’t be shown in a map.

`color{green}(•)` At that time, we can refer drawings drawn to scale called a plan.

𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐲.

(a) What are the three components of a map?

(b) What are the four cardinal directions?

(c) What do you mean by the term 'the scale of the map'?

(d) How are maps more helpful than a globe?

(e) Distinguish between a map and a plan.

(f) Which map provides detailed information?

(g) How do ·symbols help in reading maps?