American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) Practice Exam

Which feature of a map shows lines of equal elevation?

1. Contour lines

2. Scale bars

3. Grid lines

4. Legend

The correct answer is: Contour lines

A feature of a map that shows lines of equal elevation is known as contour lines. These lines connect points that are at the same elevation above a reference level, typically sea level. By depicting differences in elevation, contour lines help to illustrate the terrain's shape and steepness. For instance, closely spaced contour lines indicate steep terrain, while widely spaced lines imply a gentle slope. Understanding contour lines is essential for various applications, including land use planning, environmental analysis, and outdoor recreation, as they provide valuable information about the landscape's topography. Scale bars, on the other hand, indicate the ratio of a distance on the map to a distance in the real world, helping users understand how to interpret distance but not elevation. Grid lines create a coordinate system on the map, which is useful for navigation and locating features but do not represent elevation changes. The legend serves to explain the symbols and colors used on the map, providing context to the map's features, but it doesn't depict elevation directly. Thus, contour lines are the definitive feature for representing lines of equal elevation.