The Way The World Looks - Map Reading

Perspective and Views: Objects look different when viewed from different positions. The Top View (also called a plan view) shows how an object looks from directly above, like seeing a circular cap on a bottle. The Side View and Front View show the height and width of the object as seen from the eye level.

Mapping Your Space: A map is a simplified drawing of a place seen from a top-down perspective. It helps us understand the layout of a room, a school, or a city. From the top view, a bed might look like a simple rectangle, and a chair might look like a small square.

Directions on a Map: There are four cardinal directions used for navigation: North ($N$), South ($S$), East ($E$), and West ($W$). In most standard maps, North is represented at the top, South at the bottom, East to the right, and West to the left.

Symbols and Legends: Since real objects cannot be drawn on a map, we use small symbols like a triangle for a mountain, a blue line for a river, or a cross for a hospital. The Legend or Key is a visual guide that explains what each symbol represents.

Scaling: Maps are much smaller than the actual ground they represent. A Scale tells us the relationship between the distance on the map and the real distance. For example, $1\text{ cm}$ on the map might represent $100\text{ m}$ on the ground.

Route Finding: To find a path on a map, we look for landmarks (important buildings or features). We describe the route using turns (Left or Right) and distances. For example, to go from a house to a park, one might walk East for $2\text{ cm}$ on the map and then turn Left (North).