OCR GCSE (9-1) Geography A: Geographical Themes (J383) · Spec 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4
Geographical skills: maps, graphs and numbers
Read the notes, then try the questions. Each one is marked the moment you press Check, and shows the right answer and why.
Key ideas
- On a 1:50 000 OS map, 2 cm on the map is 1 km on the ground. Each grid square is 1 km by 1 km.
- For a six-figure grid reference, give the eastings first and then the northings. Use the eight compass points for direction.
- Contour lines close together mean steep land. Lines far apart mean gentle land. Spot heights give the height at one point.
- Learn the map types: choropleth (areas shaded by value), isoline (joins points of equal value), flow-line, proportional symbols and sphere-of-influence.
- Pick a graph to fit the data. Bar or divided bar for categories. Line for change over time. Scattergraph for a relationship between two things. Pie chart for parts of a whole.
- When you complete a divided bar, draw the new section from the top of the existing ones, and shade it to match the key.
- Know mean, median, mode, range, quartiles and percentage change. Percentage change is the change divided by the original value, times 100. Round only at the end.
- For a photograph, describe only what you can see. Take care with articles, because they can be biased.
Key terms
- Eastings
- The vertical grid lines, numbered from west to east. They come first in a grid reference.
- Northings
- The horizontal grid lines, numbered from south to north. They come second in a grid reference.
- Isoline
- A line on a map joining points of equal value.
- Choropleth map
- A map where areas are shaded according to value.
- Median
- The middle value when the data are put in order.
- Interquartile range
- The spread of the middle half of the data.
- Scattergraph
- A graph that shows the relationship between two variables.
Common mistakes
- Giving northings before eastings in a grid reference.
- Copying wording from a figure. Copied wording earns at most one mark. Say it in your own words and use the data.
- Saying a different graph is 'easier to read'. An alternative must be justified by the type of data.
- Rounding part-way through a calculation. Round only at the end, to the number of decimal places asked.
Exam tip
Paper 3 is 90 minutes for 80 marks, so about one mark a minute. Section A is 47 marks on unseen figures, usually ending with an 8-mark and a 6-mark question. A 2-mark calculation is a method mark plus an answer mark, so show your working. You can use a calculator.
Free practice questions
8 questions, 15 marks. Answer, then press Check. The marking guide explains how the marks are worked out. Nothing is saved.
- Question 1 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
What is the real area of one OS map grid square?
- Question 2 · Fill the gaps[2 marks]
A six-figure grid reference gives the ___ first, then the ___.
Word bank: northings · eastings · contours
- Question 3 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
On a 1:50 000 OS map, how many centimetres on the map represent 1 km?
- Question 4 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
What does an isoline join on a map?
- Question 5 · Matching[4 marks]
Match each graph to the data it suits best.
- Question 6 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
What is the median of 4, 6, 8 and 10?
- Question 7 · Multiple choice[1 mark]
A divided bar already shows oil and coal. Where on the bar do you draw the new section for gas?
- Question 8 · Sort into groups[4 marks]
Sort each set of data into the graph that suits it best.
Percentage of pupils using each type of transport
Rainfall against height above sea level
River width against river depth
Share of a town's land use