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State Board · Class 5 · Parisar Abhyas

Lesson 9: Maps - our Companions

5 concepts · 40 practice questions with answers · Free to read

This lesson is also in: मराठी

Landforms and the need for maps

From daily life

On the way to school you go up a small slope, cross a flat road and go down into a low lane. The land around you is not equally high everywhere.

Simple definition

The unevenness of land gives different shapes called landforms (भूरूपे), such as mountains, valleys, plateaus, plains and islands.

Rule 1: Why we need maps — Maps have been needed since ancient times; a 5000-year-old map has been found. Old maps were mostly used in wars, because knowing the land well helps to plan a plan against the enemy.

Landforms: mountain, valley, plateau, plain and islandLandforms🏔️Mountain🏞️Valley⛰️Plateau🌾Plain🏝️Island

In the figure : In the figure the unevenness of land gives landforms.

  • Easy : Easy: A mountain is a landform.
  • Medium : Medium: A 5000-year-old map is found, so maps are needed since ancient times.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Old maps were mainly used in wars.

Rule 2: Showing height — Length and width are easy to draw on paper; height and depth are not. So there are three methods: the contour line method, the layer tinting method and the digital elevation model.

  • Easy : Easy: Three methods show height.
  • Medium : Medium: Length and width are easy to show; height is hard.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Name the three methods.
Remember

Uneven land = landforms. Three methods show height: contour, layer tinting, DEM.

Common mistake

Thinking a flat map shows height by itself. It needs a special method.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "रेषा, रंग, डिजिटल" = three methods.

Spot the difference

MethodUses
Contour linesLines of equal height
Layer tintingColours for heights
Digital elevation modelSatellite and computer

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What are landforms?
  2. 2Name two landforms.
  3. 3How old is the oldest map found?
Medium
  1. 4Why were old maps used in wars?
  2. 5Which two measures are easy to show on paper?
  3. 6Name the three methods of showing height.
Challenging
  1. 7Why can we not just draw a mountain flat on a map?
  2. 8A plateau and a plain are both landforms. Is an island a landform too?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Shapes of land formed by its unevenness.
  2. 2Mountain and plain.
  3. 3About 5000 years.
  4. 4To know the land and plan against the enemy.
  5. 5Length and width.
  6. 6Contour lines, layer tinting, digital elevation model.
  7. 7A flat drawing does not show how high it is.
  8. 8Yes, an island is a landform.

The contour line method

From daily life

When you walk up a steep hill, a few steps already make you higher. On a gentle slope you walk far to rise the same height. A map must show this difference.

Simple definition

Contour lines (समोच्च रेषा) join places of the same height above sea-level.

Rule 1: How contour lines work — Height is measured from sea-level (समुद्रसपाटी). Points of the same height are marked and joined by a line. Contour lines show relief and height.

  • Easy : Easy: A 100 m contour joins all places 100 m above the sea.
  • Medium : Medium: Two points on the same line are at the same height.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Height is measured from sea-level.

Rule 2: Steep and gentle slopes — When contour lines are close together, the slope is steep (तीव्र). When they are far apart, the slope is gentle (मंद).

Rings of contour lines: close rings mean a steep slope, far apart rings mean a gentle slopeContour lines (view from above)🔺Steep slopelines close together🔺Gentle slopelines far apart

In the figure : In the figure close lines mean a steep slope and far lines a gentle slope.

  • Easy : Easy: Lines close together = steep slope.
  • Medium : Medium: Lines far apart = gentle slope.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Between 100 m and 200 m lines, a cliff has the lines nearly touching.
Remember

Same height = same line. Close = steep. Far = gentle.

Common mistake

Thinking close lines mean a gentle slope. It is the opposite.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "जवळ = जपून (तीव्र), दूर = दमाने (मंद)".

Spot the difference

LinesSlope
Close togetherSteep
Far apartGentle

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What does a contour line join?
  2. 2From where is height measured?
  3. 3What do close contour lines show?
Medium
  1. 4What do far apart lines show?
  2. 5Two points are on the 300 m line. Same height or not?
  3. 6Which slope is easier to climb: steep or gentle?
Challenging
  1. 7A hill has lines 100 m, 200 m, 300 m. What is the height difference between neighbouring lines?
  2. 8Which side is steeper: the side with lines 1 cm apart or 4 cm apart?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Places of the same height.
  2. 2From sea-level.
  3. 3A steep slope.
  4. 4A gentle slope.
  5. 5Same height, 300 m.
  6. 6Gentle.
  7. 7100 m.
  8. 8The side with lines 1 cm apart.

Layer tinting and digital elevation model

From daily life

A colouring book uses green for grass and blue for water. In the same way, a map can use different colours for different heights.

Simple definition

Layer tinting (स्तर रंगन) fills the spaces between contour lines with colours, one colour for each height.

Rule 1: Layer tinting — This method is based on contour lines. Water is blue, nearby land dark green, higher land light green and the next higher land yellow. Map B uses it.

Concentric colour layers: blue water, dark green low land, light green higher land, yellow the highest landLayer tintingWaterLow landHigher landHighestInner colours = higher land

In the figure : In the figure each colour stands for a certain height.

  • Easy : Easy: Blue shows water.
  • Medium : Medium: Dark green is low land; yellow is higher.
  • Exam-type : Exam: A colour key is needed to read the heights.

Rule 2: Digital elevation model — The digital elevation model (डिजिटल उंची प्रतिरूप) is the most modern method. Satellites collect the information and computers show it, so we can see height differences directly. Map C uses it.

  • Easy : Easy: DEM uses satellites.
  • Medium : Medium: A computer shows the satellite data.
  • Exam-type : Exam: DEM is the most modern method.
Remember

Layer tinting = colours for heights. DEM = satellite + computer.

Common mistake

Thinking colours mean the same in every map. Check the key.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "रंग = थर, उपग्रह = डिजिटल".

Spot the difference

MethodMap
Contour linesMap A
Layer tintingMap B
Digital elevation modelMap C

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What is layer tinting?
  2. 2Which colour usually shows water?
  3. 3Layer tinting is based on what?
Medium
  1. 4Which map uses the DEM?
  2. 5Which is the most modern method?
  3. 6What gives data for the DEM?
Challenging
  1. 7Why does a map need a colour key?
  2. 8Dark green is lower than yellow. A town is dark green. Is it on low or high land?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Filling spaces between contour lines with colours for heights.
  2. 2Blue.
  3. 3Contour lines.
  4. 4Map C.
  5. 5Digital elevation model.
  6. 6Satellites.
  7. 7To know which colour means which height.
  8. 8On low land.

Uses of physical maps

From daily life

A tourist planning a trek wants to know where the climb is hard. A physical map answers that before the trip starts.

Simple definition

Physical maps (भौतिक नकाशे) show the height, relief and slope of a region.

Rule 1: Uses of physical maps — They help in military operations, tourism, planning mountaineering routes and making regional development plans. On a digital map, a computer can even tell the height of any point.

  • Easy : Easy: A trekker uses a physical map.
  • Medium : Medium: A planner uses it for development plans.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Name three uses of physical maps.

Rule 2: Hill shading — Before modern methods, relief was shown by hill shading (छायांकन): slopes were shaded darker to look like hills.

  • Easy : Easy: Hill shading is an old method.
  • Medium : Medium: Darker shades show slopes.
  • Exam-type : Exam: Modern methods replaced hill shading.
Remember

Physical map = height, relief, slope. Old method: hill shading.

Common mistake

Thinking physical maps show roads and towns only. They show land height and shape.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "भौतिक = भूभाग".

Spot the difference

UseWho
MilitaryArmy
TourismTourist
MountaineeringClimber
Development plansPlanner

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1What do physical maps show?
  2. 2Name one use of physical maps.
  3. 3What was the old way of showing relief?
Medium
  1. 4Who uses maps to plan climbing routes?
  2. 5What can a computer find on a digital map?
  3. 6Why do planners need physical maps?
Challenging
  1. 7Why is hill shading less used today?
  2. 8Which map would you use to plan a hill trek: a physical map or a rainfall map?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1Height, relief and slope.
  2. 2Tourism (or military, mountaineering).
  3. 3Hill shading.
  4. 4Mountaineers.
  5. 5The height of any point.
  6. 6To plan roads, dams and towns on suitable land.
  7. 7Modern methods give exact heights.
  8. 8A physical map.

Signs, symbols and Survey of India

From daily life

On a school map, a small picture of a book means a library and a blue line means a river. Everyone reads the same sign the same way.

Simple definition

Conventional signs (सांकेतिक चिन्हे) and symbols (प्रतीके) are standard marks on maps; the key (सूची) explains them.

Rule 1: Signs and symbols — Many things are shown on a map, so standard signs and symbols are used. They are the same everywhere, so everyone understands them. Signs are lines, circles, triangles and dots. Symbols are tiny pictures of objects, such as temples, mosques and forts.

Signs are simple shapes like triangle, dot and line; symbols are tiny pictures like temple, mosque and fortSigns and symbols on mapsConventional signs▲Triangle●Dot━LineConventional symbols🛕Temple🕌Mosque🏰Fort

In the figure : In the figure signs are simple shapes and symbols are tiny pictures; the key explains them.

  • Easy : Easy: A dot may show a village.
  • Medium : Medium: A tiny fort picture is a symbol.
  • Exam-type : Exam: The key tells what each mark means.

Rule 2: Survey of India — The Survey of India is India's foremost mapmaking institute. It was set up in 1767, makes topographic maps by field surveys and is known the world over for accuracy. Its headquarters are in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

  • Easy : Easy: Survey of India was set up in 1767.
  • Medium : Medium: Its headquarters are in Dehradun.
  • Exam-type : Exam: It made topographic maps by field surveys.
Remember

Signs = shapes; symbols = tiny pictures; key explains. Survey of India: 1767, Dehradun.

Common mistake

Mixing up signs and symbols. Signs are shapes; symbols are tiny pictures.

Shortcut

Memory clue: "चिन्ह = आकार, प्रतीक = चित्र".

Spot the difference

ItemExample
SignLine, circle, triangle, dot
SymbolTemple, mosque, fort
KeyExplains the marks

Practice questions

Easy
  1. 1Why are standard signs used on maps?
  2. 2What is the key of a map?
  3. 3Give an example of a sign.
Medium
  1. 4Give an example of a symbol.
  2. 5When was the Survey of India set up?
  3. 6Where is its headquarters?
Challenging
  1. 7How many years from 1767 to 2026?
  2. 8A map has a blue line and a small fort picture. Which is a sign and which a symbol?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
  1. 1So everyone can read the map the same way.
  2. 2A list that explains the signs and symbols.
  3. 3A dot or a triangle.
  4. 4A tiny picture of a temple.
  5. 5In 1767.
  6. 6Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
  7. 72026 − 1767 = 259 years.
  8. 8The line is a sign; the fort picture is a symbol.

Quick revision

  • Land has uneven height; landforms are shown by contour lines, layer tinting and digital elevation models.
  • Closely spaced contour lines mean a steep slope; widely spaced lines mean a gentle slope.
  • Standard signs and symbols make maps easy to read; the Survey of India was set up in 1767.
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Quick revision

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