Map Reading and Spatial Orientation Flashcards
7 cards from real Texas Civil Service Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Map Reading and Spatial Orientation flashcards as text
An officer is dispatched to the southeast corner of 5th Street and Elm Avenue. The streets run north-south and east-west respectively. The officer arrives at the intersection. Which corner should she go to?
Answer: Both A and B are correct
The southeast corner is diagonally opposite the northwest corner, and if arriving northbound on 5th Street, it is to the right.
When reading a map, 'magnetic north' differs from 'true north' by what is called:
Answer: Magnetic declination
Magnetic declination is the angular difference between magnetic north (where a compass points) and true geographic north.
A person walks 4 blocks north, then 3 blocks east. Using straight-line distance, how far is she from her starting point?
Answer: 5 blocks
Using the Pythagorean theorem: √(4² + 3²) = √(16 + 9) = √25 = 5 blocks straight-line distance.
On a topographic map, a closed circular contour line with hachure marks (small inward-pointing lines) represents:
Answer: A depression or crater
Hachure marks on contour lines point toward lower elevation, so a closed contour with inward hachures indicates a depression.
An officer at position A needs to reach position B, which is directly across a city block. The block is 300 feet wide (east-west) and 200 feet long (north-south). If she must walk along the perimeter to go from the SW corner to the NE corner, what is the shortest perimeter route?
Answer: 500 feet
The shortest perimeter route from SW to NE corner is either north then east (200+300=500 feet) or east then north (300+200=500 feet).
Which of the following correctly describes latitude lines on a globe?
Answer: They run east to west and measure north-south position
Latitude lines (parallels) run east to west horizontally and measure how far north or south a location is from the equator.
A civil service map shows a symbol of crossed pickaxes. This symbol most likely represents:
Answer: A mine or quarry
Crossed pickaxes or crossed tools are standard cartographic symbols for mines, quarries, or mineral extraction sites.