Topographic maps display elevation through contour lines.
The mountain climber on the edge of Mr. Everest, the family planning their vacation to the Rockies and the cartographer pouring over surveyor's notes all have one thing in common. They are all keenly interested in discovering the elevation of a given location. Two kind of maps commonly display this information -- the elevation map and the topographical map. Elevation maps show altitude in various colors and are used to display information for a wide area. Topographical maps focus on a specific location and give detailed elevation information through concentric loops called contour lines.
Instructions
Elevation Map
1. Find a location on the map, and note its color.
2. Find the same color on the map key.
3. Read the numbers near the top and bottom of the color bar. These are the upper and lower elevation limits for that color. Your location is somewhere between these two elevations.
Topographical Map
4. Find a location on the map.
5. Read the map legend to see how many feet or meters are represented by each contour line.
6. Find the first major contour line below your location that has a number printed along it. Remember this number.
7. Count the number of contour lines between the labeled contour and your location.
8. Multiply the number of contour lines by the number of feet or meters represented by each line. Add this number to the elevation of the labeled contour. This gives you the lower limit of your location elevation.
9. Add the value of one contour line to determine location upper limit. The location true elevation is somewhere between the upper and lower limits.
Tags: contour lines, contour line, your location, feet meters, feet meters represented, Find location