7th grade · Social Studies · Unit 1 of 14
Maps, Graphs & Data
Choropleth maps, scatter graphs and pyramids
What your child practices
Reading map scales and legends, choropleth maps, scatter graphs and correlation (and why correlation does not prove cause), and what population pyramids say about a country's age and growth. The data in the questions are made up for practice.
Alabama Course of Study content standard: 7.1 · using maps, graphs and data to answer geographic questions
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Map scale: real distance = map distance × the scale. To go the other way, divide.
- A choropleth map shades areas by a value; use rates, not totals, to compare different-sized areas.
- On a scatter graph, if one value rises as the other rises, they are correlated, but that doesn’t prove one causes the other.
Example: On a map, 1 cm represents 4 km. A road is 12 km long. How long is it on the map? Divide the real distance by the scale. 12 ÷ 4 = 3. Answer: 3 cm
Maps, Graphs & Data in Alabama
In the Alabama Course of Study, this is unit 1 of 14 in 7th grade Social Studies, before Time & Evidence.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
Which kind of data suits a choropleth map best?
- the number of people at one house
- the names of streets
- a rate or density, such as people per square kilometer
- the color of cars
a rate or density, such as people per square kilometer
Hint: Densities and rates compare regions fairly.
Question 2
GIS stands for…
- global income score
- geographic information system
- great island system
- ground inventory survey
geographic information system
Hint: GIS software lets you layer data on maps.
Question 3
A scatter graph shows the points rising from left to right. What does this show?
- a negative correlation
- a mistake
- no data
- a positive correlation: as one value rises, the other tends to rise
a positive correlation: as one value rises, the other tends to rise
Hint: A line of best fit would slope upward.
Question 4
A scatter graph shows the points falling from left to right. What does this show?
- a negative correlation: as one value rises, the other tends to fall
- no data
- a perfect circle
- a positive correlation
a negative correlation: as one value rises, the other tends to fall
Hint: A line of best fit would slope downward.
Question 5
The table shows made-up data. What does it suggest about literacy rate and life expectancy?
Made-up data for five countries Country Literacy rate (%) Life expectancy (years) A 99 82 B 92 76 C 75 68 D 55 60 E 38 54 - Both stay the same.
- There is no pattern.
- As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to rise.
- As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to fall.
As literacy rate rises, life expectancy tends to rise.
Hint: Compare the columns: higher literacy goes with longer life expectancy.
Question 6
On a map, 1 cm represents 10 km. A lake is 70 km long. How long is it on the map, in cm?
answer boxcm
7 cm
Hint: Divide the real distance by the scale.