Get premium membership and access revision papers with marking schemes, video lessons and live classes.

Processing. Please wait.

In this lesson we are going to discuss how directions are shown in a map

Answer Text:
Location of Places
- Showing of position of a place or feature on a topographical map.
Methods
1.Use of Place Names
-Locating a feature by using the name of the place it’s at e.g. a river in Kisumu,
Nakuru, etc or if it isn’t at a named place locate by the nearest name place e.g. a meander near Garissa town.
2. Use of Direction, Bearing and Distance
This is from a stated position e.g. Locate Nakuru from Nairobi.
Nakuru is 157km N.W of Nairobi.
3. Latitudes and Longitudes
The main longitudes are I.D.L and Greenwich /Prime Meridian.
The main lines of latitudes:
• The equator/Great Circle (0◦) which is the longest.
• Tropic of Cancer (23½◦N) of equator.
• Tropic of Capricorn (23½◦) south of equator.
• The Arctic Circle (66½◦N).
• Antarctic Circle (66 ½ ◦ S).
They are marked at the margins. Latitude is stated first (N or S) and longitude
later (E or W) e.g. X◦N Y◦E
• Identify a place.
• Identify the nearest numbered latitude and longitude.
• Estimate to the nearest 1◦.
4. Grid Reference
Grid lines: network of lines on topographical maps.
-Numbered in small and large numbers and the large ones are used.
Eastings: N-S grid lines called so because they are numbered eastwards.
Northings: W-E grid lines called so because they are numbered northwards.
Grid reference is given in 4 figures or six figures.
In 4 figure the nearest grid line is stated while the 6 figure is estimated in fractions
by dividing the space between grid line into 10 equal parts.
Easting is stated first followed by northing.
In the example below the 4 figure grid references are:
• A-6856
• B-6856
• C-6857
6 figure grid references are:
• A-675555
• B-680560
• C-682568