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Geography / Map symbols / Grade 3 / gm301

Choose and Read Map Symbols

Use a legend instead of guessing what a symbol means.

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A map legend defines symbols for that map. Match a symbol to its definition before interpreting it. Do not assume that the same symbol always has the same meaning on another map.

Worked example

If a legend says a triangle marks a campsite, three triangles show three campsites. Their shape alone does not mean they are mountains.

Trail Map Legend

On this trail map, a triangle means campsite, a square means shelter, a solid line means walking trail, and a dashed line means park boundary. The map shows two triangles, one square, and a solid line connecting the square to both triangles. No distance scale is shown.

1. What does a triangle represent on this map?
2. How many shelters are shown?
3. Which line represents a walking trail?
4. What can you infer from the solid connecting lines?
5. What cannot be determined without more information?