Ta h o e

N a t i o n a l

F o r e s t

El Dorado National Forest

To i y a b e

N a t i o n a l

F o r e s t

LakeTahoe

0 2 Miles

Pacific Crest TrailMajor RoadsNational ParkState Park

Other Land UseWilderness Area

CALIFORNIA

89

CALIFORNIA

89

28

50

50

CALIFORNIA

267

CALIFORNIA

28

6 California Geographic Alliance ©2010

What is a map?

How Cartographers Use SymbolsCartographers use different symbols on

maps to represent real features from the

world. Three common types of symbols

are point symbols, line symbols and

area symbols.

Cartographers use point symbols to show

exactly where one thing (a school or a

hospital) is located on the map. The symbol

is usually a dot or a picture.

When a feature is long and in the shape

of a line, cartographers use line symbols to

represent these things. On the map, a blue

line is used for a river and a black line is

used for a road.

When something on a map is not a

specific point, but rather a whole area,

a cartographer uses an area symbol.

These symbols shade an area to represent

places such as forests, urban areas,

and oceans.

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