How do you read grid references, contours and the landscape from an Ordnance Survey map in the exam?
Ordnance Survey map skills - four and six-figure grid references, scale and distance, contours and gradient, recognising landscape features, and using map evidence to judge land use suitability - as examined in the question paper map item.
An SQA National 5 Geography answer on Ordnance Survey map skills, covering four and six-figure grid references, working out scale and distance, reading contours and gradient, recognising physical and human features, and using map evidence to judge land use, as tested in the question paper map item.
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What this dot point is asking
The question paper includes an Ordnance Survey (OS) map item, so the SQA wants you to read an OS map confidently: give four and six-figure grid references, work out distance using the scale, read contours to judge height and slope, recognise physical and human features, and use the map as evidence to explain things such as land use suitability.
Grid references
The blue grid lines are numbered. The golden rule is eastings before northings: read along the bottom first, then up the side.
Scale and distance
The scale tells you how map distance relates to real distance.
- A 1:50 000 map (the OS Landranger, common in the exam) means 1 cm on the map is 50 000 cm (0.5 km) on the ground, so 2 cm = 1 km.
- For a straight distance, measure with a ruler and convert using the scale.
- For a winding distance (a road or river), lay a piece of paper along it, mark each bend, then measure the total against the scale line.
Contours, height and gradient
Use contours to judge a slope's gradient (steepness) and to recognise landforms: a V of contours pointing uphill marks a river valley; concentric rings mark a hill; tightly packed lines mark a cliff or steep mountainside.
Recognising features
You should read both physical and human features from the map:
- Physical - V-shaped or U-shaped valleys, flood plains (flat land beside a meandering river), steep upland, coastline, lochs and rivers.
- Human - settlement (size and shape of built-up areas), roads and railways, and land uses such as forestry, farming and tourist facilities.
Using map evidence in answers
Many marks come from using the map as evidence. When a question says "using map evidence", every reason must be backed by something on the map: a height, contour spacing, a symbol, a grid reference or a direction. A reason with no map evidence scores nothing.
Examples in context
Example 1. The specimen paper Brecon Beacons map. The SQA National 5 specimen uses an OS extract of an upland area where candidates give grid references, measure distances and judge land use from contours and symbols.
Example 2. The specimen paper Birmingham map. A contrasting urban extract used to read settlement, transport and land use, showing how the same skills apply to human as well as physical landscapes.
Try this
Q1. State which you read first in a grid reference, eastings or northings. [1 mark]
- Cue. Eastings (along the bottom), then northings (up the side).
Q2. On a 1:50 000 map, how many centimetres represent 1 km? [1 mark]
- Cue. 2 cm.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of SQA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
SQA N5 style4 marksUsing the map evidence, give reasons why the area in grid square 2050 is suitable for hill sheep farming.Show worked answer →
A "give reasons using map evidence" question wants each point tied to something actually shown on the map, so quote the evidence (height, contour spacing, symbols, grid references) each time.
The land is high and steep, shown by the close contours and spot heights over 400 m, so it is poor for crops but suits hardy hill sheep.
The area is far from settlement and main roads (no built-up symbols nearby), so the land is cheap and quiet, which suits extensive sheep grazing.
There are streams shown in blue, giving a water supply for the animals.
The thin upland soils and lack of woodland mean rough grazing grass, which is what sheep eat. Markers reward each reason supported by specific map evidence; a reason with no map evidence scores nothing.
SQA N5 style4 marksDescribe the physical features of the river and its valley between 1545 and 2040, using map evidence.Show worked answer →
"Describe using map evidence" rewards features you can actually read off the map, so use direction, contours and grid references.
The river flows from west to east (or from higher to lower land), shown by the contour values falling in that direction.
In the west the contours are close together and the river is fairly straight, so the valley is steep and narrow (an upland, V-shaped section).
Further east the contours are spaced widely apart and the river begins to bend, showing a wider, flatter valley with meanders developing.
The land beside the river in the east is low and flat (few contours), suggesting a flood plain. Markers reward each described feature backed by contour or grid evidence, and the change downstream.
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