Lesson 3.4.1

3.4.1 Cartographic skills Quiz: AQA Geography, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.4.1, Cartographic skills: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Geography (8035), Unit 4: Geographical skills, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What area on an OS map does a four-figure grid reference identify?

    • 1 m square
    • 100 m square
    • 10 km square
    • 1 km square

  2. Which line or coordinate value is given first in an OS grid reference?

    • Easting
    • Spot height
    • Contour line
    • Northing

  3. What map features do contour lines connect on an Ordnance Survey map?

    • Equal distance points
    • Equal rainfall points
    • Equal height points
    • Equal temperature points

  4. On a 1:50,000 OS map, what distance on the ground does 1 cm represent?

    • 1 km
    • 5 km
    • 50 m
    • 0.5 km

  5. What information does a spot height provide on an Ordnance Survey map?

    • Exact spot height
    • Average area slope
    • Distance between hilltops
    • Total relief change

  6. Which scale is a large-scale OS map?

    • 1:10,000,000
    • 1:500,000
    • 1:25,000
    • 1:1,000,000

  7. Which type of map shows the distribution of population using shading for areas?

    • Desire line map
    • Choropleth map
    • Flow-line map
    • Isoline map

  8. Which phrase best describes a sketch map used in geographical studies?

    • Cross-sectional chart
    • Precise satellite image
    • Detailed topographic map
    • Simplified labelled drawing

  9. On a 1:50,000 map, two points are 4 cm apart. What is the real distance between them?

    • 20 km
    • 0.2 km
    • 200 m
    • 2 km

  10. On a 1:25,000 map, a footpath measures 4 cm. What is its real length?

    • 10 km
    • 100 m
    • 0.1 km
    • 1 km

  11. Two adjacent contours are 10 m apart in height and 2 cm apart on a 1:25,000 map. What is the gradient?

    • 1 in 5,000
    • 1 in 50
    • 1 in 500
    • 1 in 5

  12. How is a steep slope represented using contour lines on an OS map?

    • Straight contour lines
    • Closely spaced contours
    • Widely spaced contours
    • Dashed contour lines

  13. What level of accuracy does a six-figure grid reference give?

    • Accurate to 10 m
    • Accurate to 1 km
    • Accurate to 10 km
    • Accurate to 100 m

  14. Which map feature shows the drainage pattern of an area?

    • Green shading
    • Brown dotted lines
    • Blue lines
    • Red roads

  15. Which skill is used when identifying a meander from a land photograph?

    • Photo interpretation
    • Data sampling
    • Map orientation
    • Graphic design

  16. Which two map features show the relief and height of land on an OS map?

    • Symbols and keys
    • Grid lines and scales
    • Roads and rivers
    • Contours and spot heights

  17. Why is a large-scale map preferred for studying a small local neighbourhood?

    • Shows greater detail
    • Covers larger area
    • Hides precise features
    • Shows fewer roads

  18. What map pattern shows that a river valley has steep sides?

    • Parallel grid lines
    • Blue river lines
    • Far contour lines
    • Close contour lines

  19. Which key factors determine whether a map is reliable evidence for study?

    • Colour, font, size
    • Title, border, style
    • Date, scale, source
    • Paper, weight, width

  20. How does a sketch map relate to a field photograph of a landscape?

    • Distorts real proportions
    • Simplifies key features
    • Replaces actual data
    • Increases image blur

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