Maps do not have room to draw every brick and every leaf. So mapmakers use symbols: small pictures or shapes that stand for real things.
Key idea
A symbol is a little picture or shape on a map that stands for a real thing, like a house, a tree, a road or a school.
Why it works
A tiny tree symbol is quick to draw and easy to see, even when the real forest has thousands of trees. Symbols keep a map simple, so your eyes can find things fast.
Worked example: Big things, small symbols
On a map, a hospital is a small blue square with an H. Is the real hospital small?
- The symbol is small so it fits on the map.
- The real hospital is a big building.
- The symbol just shows where it is.
Answer: No. The real hospital is big; only the symbol is small.
Common mistake
A symbol is not a photo. A red road symbol does not mean the road is red, and a little tree does not mean one little tree. The symbol only says what is there.
For the grown-up. Invent symbols together for your street: a square for your house, a circle for a tree, a line for the sidewalk. Children love making up their own.