State Trooper Map Reading and Navigation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On a standard USGS topographic map, what does a contour interval of 20 feet mean?
- Each contour line represents a 20-foot change in elevation (Correct answer)
- The map covers a 20-foot-wide area
- Contour lines are spaced 20 feet apart horizontally
- The highest point on the map is 20 feet above sea level
Correct answer: Each contour line represents a 20-foot change in elevation
The contour interval is the vertical distance in elevation between adjacent contour lines on a topographic map.
Question 2: You are dispatched to an address on the north side of a divided highway. Which action correctly uses a map to locate the nearest legal crossing?
- Look for interchange symbols or median crossover locations marked on the map (Correct answer)
- Drive until you find a gap in the median
- Assume any intersection allows a U-turn
- Cross at the nearest mile marker
Correct answer: Look for interchange symbols or median crossover locations marked on the map
Interchange symbols and crossover markings on the map indicate legal crossing points on divided highways.
Question 3: A CAD system shows a call at grid reference 14-F. How do you locate this on a paper map grid?
- Find column 14 along the horizontal axis, then row F along the vertical axis (Correct answer)
- Find row 14 along the vertical axis, then column F along the horizontal axis
- Count 14 blocks from the top-left corner
- Locate F on the north edge and 14 on the west edge
Correct answer: Find column 14 along the horizontal axis, then row F along the vertical axis
Standard alphanumeric grid references read the horizontal (column) value first, then the vertical (row) value.
Question 4: While navigating at night without GPS, which map feature best helps a trooper confirm their location on a rural highway?
- Mile markers and posted route numbers cross-referenced with the map (Correct answer)
- The map's north arrow
- Township boundary lines
- The map's publication date
Correct answer: Mile markers and posted route numbers cross-referenced with the map
Mile markers and route numbers are physical landmarks that can be directly cross-referenced against map notation even in low-visibility conditions.
Question 5: What does a dashed blue line on a standard road map typically represent?
- An intermittent or seasonal stream (Correct answer)
- A state border
- An unpaved road
- A proposed highway
Correct answer: An intermittent or seasonal stream
Dashed blue lines on maps conventionally indicate streams or rivers that flow only part of the year.
Question 6: A trooper needs to calculate the straight-line distance between two points on a 1:24,000 scale map. The measured map distance is 3 inches. What is the actual distance?
- Approximately 1.1 miles (Correct answer)
- Approximately 2 miles
- Approximately 3 miles
- Approximately 0.5 miles
Correct answer: Approximately 1.1 miles
At 1:24,000 scale, 1 inch equals 24,000 inches (2,000 feet); 3 inches equals 6,000 feet, which is approximately 1.1 miles.
Question 7: When reading a map legend, a solid red line with a number inside a shield symbol most commonly represents which type of road?
- A U.S. numbered federal highway (Correct answer)
- A state-maintained secondary road
- A county road
- An interstate highway
Correct answer: A U.S. numbered federal highway
The shield symbol with a number is the standard cartographic representation for U.S. numbered federal highways on American maps.
State Trooper Map Reading and Navigation 2
On a standard USGS topographic map, what does a contour interval of 20 feet mean?