Maps and Map Keys — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The map title tells you the name of the area the map shows.
The title is printed at the top of the map as a quick heading, letting readers know right away which place, like 'Map of Texas,' they are looking at.
2. A map scale shows how far apart places really are.
Places on a map look tiny and close, but the scale tells you the real distance, like how many miles are between two towns in real life.
3. The compass rose shows north, south, east, and west.
The star-shaped symbol on a map is called a compass rose because the four direction points look like the petals of a flower spreading out.
4. A map key is usually found in a small box on the map.
Mapmakers draw a small box around the key so readers can find it quickly in the corner, separate from the rest of the map.
5. One inch on a map might stand for one mile in real life.
Maps shrink the real world down so it fits on paper, so one small inch can stand for one whole mile of land outside.
6. Without a map key, you cannot tell what the symbols mean.
The symbols on a map are just tiny pictures until the key explains them, so without the key you would only see shapes you cannot understand.
7. A map with no title makes it hard to know what place it shows.
The title names the place on the map. Without a title, a map could be showing any city or country, and readers would have to guess.
8. The compass rose helps you know which direction you are going.
The compass rose points to north, south, east, and west, so you can match your path on the map to the real direction you are traveling.
9. A map scale uses a short bar to measure distance.
A map scale looks like a tiny ruler. You line it up with two places on the map to find out how many miles or kilometers lie between them.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each map part to what it does.
Map title
→ Names the map
Shows directions
Map key
→ Explains symbols
Explains symbols
Compass rose
→ Shows directions
Measures distance
Map scale
→ Measures distance
Names the map
Each part of the map has its own job: the title names the place, the key decodes the symbols, the compass rose shows directions, and the scale measures real distance.