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Map skills questions appear in every Edexcel B Geography exam paper. They test your ability to read, interpret and use Ordnance Survey (OS) maps — skills that are fundamental to geography and that offer reliable marks because they have definite correct answers. This lesson revises all the map skills you need, with exam-focused practice techniques.
A 4-figure grid reference identifies a 1 km² grid square. Remember: along the corridor, up the stairs (eastings first, northings second).
Steps:
Example: A church is in the grid square with easting 34 on its left edge and northing 56 on its bottom edge → grid reference 3456
A 6-figure grid reference pinpoints a location within a grid square to the nearest 100 m.
Steps:
| Common Error | How to Avoid |
|---|---|
| Giving northing before easting | Remember: alphabet — E before N |
| Estimating tenths inaccurately | Use a ruler or the edge of paper divided into 10 |
| Confusing 4-figure and 6-figure | Check how many digits the question asks for |
| Reading from the wrong edge of the square | Eastings: LEFT edge. Northings: BOTTOM edge |
Exam Tip: Practise grid references regularly using real OS maps or online map tools. The more you practise, the faster and more accurate you will become. In the exam, double-check your reference by reversing the process — find the location from your reference and confirm it matches.
| Map Scale | 1 cm = | 4 cm = | 6.5 cm = |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1:25,000 | 250 m | 1,000 m (1 km) | 1,625 m (1.625 km) |
| 1:50,000 | 500 m | 2,000 m (2 km) | 3,250 m (3.25 km) |
For curved routes, you cannot use a ruler directly:
Method 1 — String:
Method 2 — Paper edge:
Exam Tip: The exam will always tell you the map scale (1:25,000 or 1:50,000) and may provide a scale bar. Always state the scale in your answer and show your calculation. Giving an answer of "4 cm" when the question asks for real-world distance will score zero.
| Landform | Contour Pattern | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Steep slope | Lines very close together | Height changes rapidly over short distance |
| Gentle slope | Lines widely spaced | Height changes gradually |
| Valley | V-shaped contours pointing uphill (towards higher ground) | A depression between hills; rivers flow through valleys |
| Spur | V-shaped contours pointing downhill (towards lower ground) | A ridge of high ground projecting from a hill |
| Hilltop / Summit | Concentric circles, highest value in centre | The peak of a hill or mountain |
| Plateau | Widely spaced contours at high elevation | A flat area of high ground |
| Escarpment | Close contours on one side, widely spaced on the other | A steep slope on one side with a gentle dip slope on the other |
| Col / Saddle | A dip between two hilltops | A low point between two areas of higher ground |
| Depression | Concentric circles with tick marks (hachures) pointing inward | A hollow or basin |
| Flat land / Floodplain | Absent or very widely spaced contours near a river | Low-lying flat ground, often beside rivers |
Cross-sections are a common exam question. To draw one:
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