GIS Basics

Question 1

Geographical:

Answer 1

Related to real world locations

Question 2

GIS:

Answer 2

Geographical Information Systems

Question 3

Informational:

Answer 3

Linking non-spatial data with spatial data and real world locations

Question 4

Systems:

Answer 4

Computer based processing to accomplish tasks

Question 5

What was the first GIS system

Answer 5

The Canadian Geographic Information System

Question 6

What decade were the first GIS systems developed

Answer 6

1960s

Question 7

GIS provides data structures and capabilities to

Answer 7

-Store
-Manage
-Map data on a computer
-Analyze
-Publish

Question 8

What does GIS do

Answer 8

Computer based mapping and analysis along with necessary tools to store and share

Question 9

What is a historical example of someone using Mapping to address a problem

Answer 9

John snow (1800s) used mapping to address cholera outbreaks and determine the sources as contaminated water wells.

Question 10

What does ESRI stand for

Answer 10

Environmental Systems Research Institute

Question 11

ESRI has been an industry leader since

Answer 11

The 1970s

Question 12

ESRI Packages Include:

Answer 12

ArcGIS: Desktop
ArcGIS Pro
ArcGIS Online

Question 13

ArcGIS Desktop

Answer 13

Works on a PC. Being phased out by ArcGIS Pro

Question 14

ArcGIS Pro came out in

Answer 14

2016/2017

Question 15

ArcGIS Pro works on what devices

Answer 15

Desktops

Question 16

What is the difference between ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Desktop?

Answer 16

ArcGIS Pro has
-online support and links
-a modern GUI
-integrated online tools

Question 17

ArcGIS Online advantages:

Answer 17

Internet based, allows access to anyone with an internet connection. Can be used to easily display, communicate, and share information.

Question 18

ArcGIS Online disadvantages

Answer 18

Less features
Less capacity for analysis

Question 19

What is QGIS

Answer 19

The free open source alternative to ArcGIS

Question 20

When did QGIS become a thing

Answer 20

2010s

Question 21

QGIS functions on what systems?

Answer 21

Mac, Linux, Windows

Question 22

QGIS is ____ than ArcGIS and takes ___ processing power

Answer 22

Smaller, Less

Question 23

What is Spatial Data/geospatial data/location data?

Answer 23

Data tied to a real world location
(Shapes, coordinates, boundaries, etc)

Question 24

What is an example of spatial data

Answer 24

-Parcel boundaries of a specific property
-Length of the road out front of a specific house
-Coordinates of a tree in the backyard

Question 25

What is attribute data?

Answer 25

Non-spatial Data (tabular data not tied to a specific location)

Question 26

Examples of attribute data

Answer 26

-home owners name -telephone number -property value -population

Question 27

GIS allows us to combine . . .

Answer 27

Spatial & non-spatial (attribute) data for many purposes (plot/map, manipulate, analyze, combine, etc)

Question 28

GIS and involves representing ____ on maps

Answer 28

Real world maps

Question 29

What are discrete objects/data

Answer 29

Real world objects with specific locations and boundaries

Question 30

Examples of Discrete data

Answer 30

Houses, Roads, Cities, etc. have clear boundaries.

Question 31

What is continuous data?

Answer 31

Conditions of the real world varies across areas. (No discrete boundaries)

Question 32

Examples of continuous data

Answer 32

Temperature, elevation, precipitation, air photo, remote sensing values.

Question 33

Vector Model is used for what type of data?

Answer 33

Discrete data (or continuous broken up into discrete categories)

Question 34

What type of data is a Raster model used for?

Answer 34

Continuous

Question 35

Vector & Raster models are both georefrenced, meaning they are tied to specific . . .

Answer 35

Locations on earths surface using XY coordinates

Question 36

Vector Models use 3 basic shapes, what are they?

Answer 36

Point Features Line Features Polygon Features

Question 37

What is a Point Features

Answer 37

Represent a single location, single coordinate. “0 dimensional”- no length width height, just a point

Question 38

What is a Line Feature

Answer 38

Represents a linear path (like a road or river) Includes a series of vertices connected by lines. “1” dimensional- just length

Question 39

What are the ends of a line feature called?

Answer 39

Nodes

Question 40

What are the points on a line or polygon feature called?

Answer 40

Vertices

Question 41

What is a Polygon Feature?

Answer 41

A closed area with boundaries. The polygon includes all interior space. 2D- length & width

Question 42

Vector Data Sets includes

Answer 42

One or more sets of coordinates (spatial data) Table that stores attributes (non-spatial data)

Question 43

A feature class stores . . .

Answer 43

Sets of similar features (eg. States)

Question 44

Features in a feature class must be

Answer 44

The same type of feature (points, polygons, lines)

Question 45

How does a Raster Model work?

Answer 45

Breaks geographic areas into pixels (or cells) which each having a value.

Question 46

What are Layers?

Answer 46

When using multiple data sets, layers can be used to separate different data sets

Question 47

In what order should layers go?

Answer 47

Basemap, Polygons, Lines, Points

Question 48

What is Map Scale?

Answer 48

The size at which features in a map are represented

Question 49

What is Source Scale?

Answer 49

Scale or resolution at which data was originally created/digitized

Question 50

The smaller the ratio in source scale the MORE/LESS accurate the data is.

Answer 50

More

Question 51

The larger the ratio in source scale the MORE/LESS accurate the data is.

Answer 51

Less

Question 52

How do you calculate approximate precision from map scale. Use the example: 1:24,000 for a 1 point thick line.

Answer 52

Divide by 1000 24,000/1000=24ft

Question 53

All representations of the world involve some . . .

Answer 53

Generalization

Question 54

What is Resolution?

Answer 54

The sampling interval of measurements during data collection

Question 55

What is spatial sampling resolution?

Answer 55

Distance between points measured or pixel size

Question 56

What is thematic data resolution?

Answer 56

How fine the measurement scale is

Question 57

What is temporal data resolution?

Answer 57

How frequently the data was sampled

Question 58

What is the first definition for precision?

Answer 58

How many significant digits in a measurement

Question 59

What is the second definition for precision?

Answer 59

The statistical variability of a repeated measurement

Question 60

What is logical consistency?

Answer 60

How well does the data represent real world relationships? do boundaries align? Do roads connect?

Question 61

What is the format for citing GIS data?

Answer 61

Data set name (Year published) [source type]. Producer name, producer contact information. Resource URL: [Date accessed]