15/03/2011

JMG 213E/4 :
TECHNIQUES IN GEOGRAPHY

VIDEO CONFERENCE 3 :
MAPS AND GRAPHS

By :
Dr.Izham Mohamad Yusoff

School of Distance Education,

Universiti Sains Malaysia,
Minden,
11800 Penang.

CONTENTS
LINE GRAPHS
SURFACE GRAPHS
BAR CHARTS
PIE CHARTS
AREA AND VOLUMETRIC DIAGRAMS
SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

INTRODUCTION

Why maps and graphs?

Visualization communication is an important aspect of
Geography.
Maps are perhaps the most distinctively geographical means of
communication, but a whole range of other representational
techniques can be used to report the results of geographic
investigations.
Analyzing pandemic disease data :
a)

Person : Who develops a disease (for example, by age

group or sex)? Are the distributions changing over time?

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INTRODUCTION5cont

Analyzing pandemic disease data (cont-) :

b)

Place : Where are cases occurring? Is the geographical

distribution changing over time?

c)

Time : Is the number of reported cases changing over

time?

Purpose of displaying data :

a)

The purpose of developing clearly understandable

tables, charts and graphs is to facilitate :
i.
analysis of data
ii.
interpretation of data
iii.
effective, rapid communication on complex
issues and situations.

INTRODUCTION5cont

General rules of displaying data :

a)

Simpler is better.

b)

Graphs, tables and charts can be used together.

c)

Use clear descriptive titles and labels.

d)

Provide a narrative description of the highlights.

e)

Dont compare variables with different scales of

magnitude.

INTRODUCTION5cont

Map : Abstract representation of the features that occur

on or near the surface of the Earth.
(i.e. topographic maps, weather map, geological maps,
thematic maps, chain maps, cadastral maps).
Why maps? : Effective devices for communicating and
recording information about the environment.

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INTRODUCTION5cont
The map we practices today :
Map reading? Analysis? Interpretation?

INTRODUCTION5cont
Map as Graphs

Example : A line graph in which the longitude of an

occurrence is plotted on the xx-axis and the latitude on the
y-axis could also be called as map.
Another example : a profile. The graph shows elevations
at a given distances along a line.

INTRODUCTION5cont

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CONTENTS
LINE GRAPHS
SURFACE GRAPHS
BAR CHARTS
PIE CHARTS
AREA AND VOLUMETRIC DIAGRAMS
SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

LINE GRAPHS
Graphs

Associated with maps, either as map symbols or as

supporting illustrations.
A diagram shown as a series of one or more points, lines,
line segments, curves or areas.
Ability to read graphs properly is important map-use skills.
Represents variation of a variable in comparison with that
of one or more other variables.

LINE GRAPHS5cont

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LINE GRAPHS5cont
Line Graphs

Straight--foward and commonly encountered types of

Straight
graphs.
Consists of a line joining points plotted on a grid.
The path of the line shows the value of one variable
relative to the value of another.
Horizontal axis = X, Vertical axis = Y

LINE GRAPHS5cont
Line Graphs-cont

Scale line graph: represents frequency distributions over

time.
Y-axis represents frequency.
X-axis represents time.

LINE GRAPHS5cont
Variables

Y-axis considered in relation to time such as birthrate,

rainfall volume, streamflow volume, affected people, etc.
Sometimes paired variables illustrates temperature and
disease rate, thickness of glacial ice and its rate of flow,
alcohol consumption and accident rate.

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LINE GRAPHS5cont
Types of Scales

Graph scales are arbitrary.

Example : A graph shows stormwater flow discharge (in
cubic meters), ranging from 100 to 1000 m3 spread within
numbers of river sub-basin.

LINE GRAPHS5cont
Types of Scales-cont

Here, the same data are plotted using three different

scale relationship.
If one axis is long relative to the other, a specific change
in value will look very different than if the same axis is
made relatively short.
Whatever consideration determine scale selection, the
results are crucial to the graph interpretation.

LINE GRAPHS5cont
Arithmetic Line Graphs

The spacing between values is constant (equal vertical /

horizontal distance indicate equal changes in value.
The spacing of the scale on either axis of an arithmetic
line graph should usually be uniform.
Multiple line graphs : keeping track of the trends of the
separate lines as they intermingle with one another.
Such a graph might include comparison of observed
and simulated discharge stormwater runoff volume,
population measured in number of people, petroleum
prices measured in RM.

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LINE GRAPHS5cont

LINE GRAPHS5cont

Silhouette graph : A standard line graph in which the

area below the curves is shaded or colored to give a
silhouette effect.
The shading highlights the trend of the line on the graph
but has no other significance.

LINE GRAPHS5cont

Accumulative line graph @ Lorenz curves : Used to

determine the degree of concentration in one variable.
Lorenz curves are frequently used on maps in
connection with interregional comparisons of a variety
economic, populations, etc.
The plot of these values is shown by the solid, curved
line.

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LINE GRAPHS5cont

LINE GRAPHS5cont

Index values : Some single-scale graphs are plotted on

the basis of index values instead of absolute numbers.
Example : An increase from a base-period quantity of
gasoline production of 85 million barrels to 170 million
barrels in a later period, represents a doubling of
production.
The index values for the two periods would be 100 and
200 respectively.
The same index values might express a doubling in
average wages from a base-period value of RM20,000
to RM40,000 in the later period.

LINE GRAPHS5cont

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LINE GRAPHS5cont

Logarithmic Line Graphs : The second major type of line

graphs. There is no zero on the logarithmic scale. A
range of values with a multiple of 10 is called a cycle.
If the values shown on a graph cover more than a
multiple of ten, additional cycle are required (such as
100 and 1000).

LINE GRAPHS5cont

LINE GRAPHS
SURFACE GRAPHS
BAR CHARTS
PIE CHARTS
AREA AND VOLUMETRIC DIAGRAMS
SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

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SURFACE GRAPHS

Surface Graphs : Similar with line graphs, but how the

two types of these graphs plotted and interpreted is
significantly different.
Values displayed on surface graphs are expressed as
spaces, bands, between the lines.
Most surface graphs have a distinctive color, pattern, or
shade of gray applied over each data band to call
attention to the bands and emphasize the nature of the
graph.
Surface graphs are sometimes presented in percentage
form.

SURFACE GRAPHS5cont

LINE GRAPHS
SURFACE GRAPHS
BAR CHARTS
PIE CHARTS
AREA AND VOLUMETRIC DIAGRAMS
SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

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BAR CHARTS

Bar charts : Consists of bands or bars, each one

representing a particular data range, such as an age
grouping or a time period.
May be arranged horizontally or vertically.
In terms of scale, bar charts may show either absolute
or percentage values.
In map, either a single or multiple bars may be shown.
Symbols, such as oil barrels or silhouettes of people are
often used in a place of simple bars to introduce an
element of interest into the bar graphs.

BAR CHARTS5cont

BAR CHARTS5cont

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BAR CHARTS5cont

LINE GRAPHS
SURFACE GRAPHS
BAR CHARTS
PIE CHARTS
AREA AND VOLUMETRIC DIAGRAMS
SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

PIE CHARTS

Pie charts : A circular (360 degree) graphic representation.

Compares subclasses or categories to the whole class
or category using differently coloured or patterned
segments.

Projected annual
expenditure requirements
for HIV/AIDS care and
support by 2005, by
region

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PIE CHARTS5cont

PIE CHARTS5cont

LINE GRAPHS
SURFACE GRAPHS
BAR CHARTS
PIE CHARTS
AREA AND VOLUMETRIC DIAGRAMS
SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

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AREA AND VOLUMETRIC

DIAGRAMS

Area and Volumetric Diagrams : In visualizing numerical

data, each symbol represents a given quantity, and the
total number of symbols placed in each region represents
the relevant total.
Graduated Circle : The area of the symbol is proportional,
more or less, to the value of the data that it represents.
For example, a circle with one square unit of area may be
used to signify 100 tractors. If another circle is to
represent 900 tractors, it should cover nine units of area.

AREA AND VOLUMETRIC

DIAGRAMS5cont

AREA AND VOLUMETRIC

DIAGRAMS5cont

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AREA AND VOLUMETRIC

DIAGRAMS5cont

AREA AND VOLUMETRIC

DIAGRAMS

AREA AND VOLUMETRIC

DIAGRAMS5cont

Realistic Figures : Chosen on the basis of the map topic

and are meant to increase the maps graphic appeal.
Example : Airplanes are used to represent air power,
soldiers for military forces, oil tanks for energy sources.

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LINE GRAPHS
SURFACE GRAPHS
BAR CHARTS
PIE CHARTS
AREA AND VOLUMETRIC DIAGRAMS
SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

SPECIAL DIAGRAMS

Scatter Diagrams : Used to display the relationship

between two variables, such as the use of multiple
cropping techniques in agriculture and grain yields.
A scatter diagram consists of a set of points plotted on the
basis of paired observations of the variables.
A trend line is often superimposed over the cloud of dots
on a scatter diagram.

SPECIAL DIAGRAMS5cont

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SPECIAL DIAGRAMS5cont

SPECIAL DIAGRAMS5cont

Population Profiles : A graphic display of the age-sex

distribution of a given regions population.
The basic structure of a population profile consists of a
horizontal baseline divided by a vertical centerline, with
the length of each bar representing the population in a
specific age group.
Circular graph : Displaying information about events that
occur during a specified time period, such as the number
of accidents per day.
Climatograph : is a circular graph that shows climatic
information such as temperature and rainfall.

SPECIAL DIAGRAMS5cont
Population Profile : Population Growth of Texas

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SPECIAL DIAGRAMS5cont
Climatographs

SPECIAL DIAGRAMS5cont

Triangular graphs : plotted on a equilateral triangles, to

show three components of some total.

SPECIAL DIAGRAMS5cont
Soil Types

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ANY QUERIES?

Room No :
01,
Cabin B, Bangunan PeSA
(Behind Student Main Hall),
USM Main Campus, Penang.
E-mail :
izham@usm.my
H/P :
013--4058342
013

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