Spatial Analysis (GIS Software)

Question 1

Define GIS

Answer 1

a system utilized to capture, store, analyze, model and display data associated with its geographic position (x, y, z) on the Earth’s surface (i.e. “spatial” data).

Question 2

What is Spatial Data?

Answer 2

themes, layers, coverages. Can be displayed accurately due to georeferencing.

Question 3

Define Attributes

Answer 3

Information about object or feature. Attributes of census data include tract number, population, avg Household Income, number of Households, etc

Question 4

Define Topographic map

Answer 4

A two-dimensional representation of a portion of the three-dimensional surface of the earth

Question 5

Define Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Answer 5

Improved the spatial accuracy of planning information. GPS allows the incorporation of the location of features and facilities into databases. This is used frequently in a smartphone and associated apps to show your location or provide directions. It is also used by transportation departments to alert drivers to traffic delays.

Question 6

What is TIGER?

Answer 6

Topographically Integrated Geographical Encoding and Referencing Map.

Census data. TIGER maps includes streets, RR, zip codes and landmarks.

TIGER maps are used by the U.S. Census Bureau and can be downloaded into a GIS system, where they are often used as base layers upon which local information is added.

Question 7

What is Digital Aerial Photography?

Answer 7

Digital aerial photography has allowed for increased accuracy to the 0.5-foot resolution.

Question 8

What can Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) be used for?

Answer 8

DEMs can be used for stormwater management, flood control, land use decisions, and other purposes. NOTE: DEMs provide digital data about the elevation of the earth’s surface as it varies across communities allows planners to analyze and map it.

Question 9

Define Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR)

Answer 9

Technology using a laser, instead of radio waves, that is mounted in an airplane to provide detailed topographic information. It can provide a dense pattern of data points to create one-foot contours for DEMs for use in watershed mapping and hydrologic modeling for flood control. It can also be used to sense the environment for code violations, such as signs that were not built to comply with code.

Question 10

Define UrbanSim

Answer 10

a simulation software program that models planning and urban development. This free software program is designed to be used by Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs).

Question 11

Define CommunityViz

Answer 11

an ESRI software environment that allows agencies to analyze land use scenarios and create 3D images. This allows citizens to visualize the potential for development and redevelopment.

Question 12

What is the Urban Footprint software?

Answer 12

as developed by Peter Calthorpe and Associates and is a more recent addition to the simulation program options for planners. It uses a library of place types, block types, and building types to support interactive scenario building.

Question 13

What are the two important aspects of geographic information?

Answer 13

Locational information and attribute (values) information

Question 14

What are the two dominant data types in GIS?

Answer 14

Raster - grids, pixels
Vector- points, lines, polygons, networks (layers)

Question 15

What is a datum?

Answer 15

A mathematical approximation of the shape of the earths surface as an ellipsoid to compute location

Question 16

What are the four characteristics of geographic information that are affected by projections, and what are the corresponding projections?

Answer 16

Shape, distance, direction, land area

Conformal (keeps shape)
Equal area
Equidistant
True Direction

Question 17

What is the purpose of map classification?

Answer 17

To group the observations into categories that correspond with a given color shade on the map

Question 18

What is the difference between a map showing equal interval vs. a quantile distribution?

Answer 18

Equal interval has the same value difference between categories but number of observations in each category can differ.

A quantile map has equal number of obs/data in each category but values difference between the categories varies.

Question 19

Which map classification method is like a histogram?

Answer 19

Equal interval, equal size categories

Question 20

Which planner is recognized as the pioneer of overlay analysis?

Answer 20

Ian McHarg in Design with Nature

Question 21

What is a heat map?

Answer 21

A map to show the intensity of events or concentration of points

Question 22

a system utilizing computer software and tools to create, modify, analyze and optimize a design. It can be used to depict a two or three dimensional physical object or location (building site), engineer drawing, blueprint, or site drawing.

Answer 22

Computer Aided Drafting and Design (CADD)

Question 23

a system utilized for decision-making, and for the coordination, control, analysis, and visualization of management information in an organization. It can be used to produce regular reports on the ongoing operations and performance in an organization, including its strategic, tactical, financial and operational conditions.

Answer 23

Management Information System (MIS)

Question 24

method used to identify suitable locations for placing land uses to minimize adverse environmental impacts.

Answer 24

Land suitability analysis

Question 25

the process of transforming a description of a location to an actual location on the earth’s surface. Often this involves converting (i.e. assigning geographic coordinates for) street addresses so that the resulting spatial data can be displayed on a GIS map.

Answer 25

Geocoding

Question 26

What is the data about data.

Answer 26

Metadata, GIS metadata provides information about the GIS dataset including an abstract describing the dataset, the projection system being used, the information included in the dataset, its origin, creation, when last updated and accuracy.

Question 27

A way to display the curved surface of the earth on a flat surface.

Answer 27

Projection

Question 28

An aerial or satellite raster image photograph with a uniform scale, in a given map projection. An orthophotograph can be used to measure distance as it provides an accurate representation of the Earth’s surface. Often used as a GIS basemap.

Answer 28

Orthophotograph

Question 29

Aligning maps, images and databases in a non-projected coordinate system into a coordinate system with a common datum and projection. Registration is required to connect data to specific geographic points on the Earth’s surface in order to accurately locate the information and allow for valid analysis between different GIS layers.

Answer 29

Registration

Question 30

searching or retrieving GIS data without altering the existing data, based on the specifics asked by the operator is a…

Answer 30

Query

Question 31

Define Buffer

Answer 31

tool in a GIS is a proximity function that creates a polygon at a set distance surrounding a selected point, line or polygon (e.g. displaying a 200’ buffer around a stream, below).

Question 32

GENERAL PLANNING USES FOR GIS

Answer 32

• Visualizing and understanding spatial (geographic) data
• Assessing environmental impacts and
• Depicting hazard vulnerabilities
• Municipal and transportation planning
• Marketing analyses
• Modeling and simulations
• Probability analyses
• Trend analyses & Scenario planning

Question 33

What would be the size of this property? The S1/2 of the NW1/4 of the SE1/4 of Section 12,
Township 8 North, Range 6 West of the Fourth Principal Meridian?

Answer 33

A) 10 acres
B) 20 acres
C) 40 acres
D) 80 acres

The correct answer is “B”
To determine the location and size of a property in this method, start at the end and work backward to
the beginning reading from right to left. For the size, the SE1/4 of a typical Section is 640 acres divided
by 4 which is 160 acres. The NW1/4 of the quarter section contains 160 acres divided by 4 which is 40
acres, and the S1/2 of the quarter is 40 acres divided by 2, which of course is 20.

Question 34

A map having a representative fraction scale of 1:2,400 is equivalent to a scale of 1”
equals:

Answer 34

(A) 200’
(B) 400’
(C) 800’
(D) 2,400’

The correct answer is “A”
A scale always has the same units of measure when using the scale. A map scale of 1:2,400
scale would mean 1” represents 2,400” on the map, or that is equal to 1 inch (“) represents 200
feet (‘) on the map (i.e. 2,400”/12 inches per foot = 200’)

Question 35

Which of the following has the largest FAR?

Answer 35

(A) One acre 20-story building on a 4-acre lot
(B) A 4-story building entirely covering a 1⁄4 acre lot
(C) One acre 12-story building on a 2-acre lot
(D) A 2-story building entirely covering 1⁄2 acre lot

The correct answer is (C)
FAR = floor area ratio = building area / lot area. The FARs for (A) = 5 [20 acres of building/4 acre lot]; (B)
= 4 [4 story bldg. on 1⁄4 acre/ 1⁄4 acre]; (C) = 6 [12 acres of building/2 acre lot]; (D) = 2 [2 story bldg. on 1⁄2
acre / 1⁄2 acre].

Question 36

A 2-inch by 3-inch area on a standard USGS Quad map is approximately:

Answer 36

(A) 120 acres
(B) 550 acres
(C) 16 sections
(D) 124 sections

The correct answer is (B)
A standard United States Geological Survey (USGS) quadrangle maps are those of the 7.5-
minute by 7.5 minute, 1:24,000-scale quadrangle series. At a scale of 1:24,000, one inch on a
USGS quad represents 24,000 inches or 2,000 feet. A 2-inch by 3-inch square would be 4,000
feet on one side and 6,000 feet on the other side and include an area of 24 million square feet,
equal to 550.96 acres (43,560 sq. feet/acre), or less than one section (i.e. 640 acres).

Question 37

Which of the following best describes a Datum?

Answer 37

(A) The memory of a computer
(B) The signature date on a deed
(C) A line, point, or surface from which elevations are measured or indicated
(D) The decision of a court for the plaintiff

The correct answer is “C”

Question 38

A New England town believes it may be losing tax revenues due to old and possibly
inaccurate lot size information. With a limited budget, what is the best alternative
available to the town to recalculate their lot sizes relatively quickly and inexpensively?

Answer 38

A) Deed research combined with a lot-by-lot survey producing a new base tax map
B) Regeneration of the base tax map through deed research and GIS
C) Recalculation of lot sizes from existing tax maps
D) None of the above

The correct answer is B)
Many firms will perform deed research, and, combined with an aerial photography fly-over,
redraw tax maps. While this undertaking is not inexpensive, it can be done in a reasonable
amount of time and the cost of the project should be recouped in a few years through increased
tax revenues, depending on the level of error in the original tax maps. A lot-by-lot survey,
arguably the most accurate method to recalculate lot sizes, would be very time consuming and
expensive. Recalculation of lot sizes, the least expensive of the three methods, may catch
original errors in calculations but will not catch the dimension errors that may be inherent in the
existing tax maps.