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GED Social Studies Places, Regions, and Map Skills Summary

Checked 10/27/26

Places, Regions, and Map Skills: key points

  • Latitude measures north-south from the Equator; longitude measures east-west from the Prime Meridian.
  • Population density = people / land area.
Importance
★★★★☆ (4 / 5)
Weight
About 2 of 6 Geography and the World questions (30%)

Regions and places, borders, latitude and longitude, map scale, types of maps, and population density.

📖 See more Places, Regions, and Map Skills concepts →

Places, Regions, and Map Skills: 7 sample questions

Practice questionReviewedGeography and the World › Places, Regions, and Map Skills★★★★☆

Question 1. What do lines of latitude measure?

  1. ① Distance between two cities
  2. ② Distance east or west of the Prime Meridian
  3. ③ Height above sea level
  4. ④ Distance north or south of the Equator
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Answer: ④ Distance north or south of the Equator

Key point: Latitude: north-south; longitude: east-west

Latitude lines run east-west around the globe and measure how far north or south a place is from the Equator (0 degrees). Longitude lines run from pole to pole and measure how far east or west a place is from the Prime Meridian.

Wrong choices

  • Distance between two cities: Distance between cities is found with a map scale.
  • Distance east or west of the Prime Meridian: Distance east or west of the Prime Meridian is measured by longitude.
  • Height above sea level: Height above sea level is elevation.
Practice questionReviewedGeography and the World › Places, Regions, and Map Skills★★★★☆

Question 2. In geography, what is a region?

  1. ① A line on a map that shows latitude
  2. ② The scale printed on a map
  3. ③ An area that shares common features, such as climate, landforms, language, or economy
  4. ④ A country's capital city
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Answer: ③ An area that shares common features, such as climate, landforms, language, or economy

Key point: Region: an area with shared features

A region is an area that has something in common that makes it different from the areas around it. Regions can be physical (the Great Plains), cultural (the Spanish-speaking parts of the Americas), or economic (the Corn Belt).

Wrong choices

  • A line on a map that shows latitude: Lines of latitude measure position. They are not regions.
  • The scale printed on a map: A map scale shows distance. It is not a region.
  • A country's capital city: A capital city is one place, not an area defined by shared features.
Practice questionReviewedGeography and the World › Places, Regions, and Map Skills★★★★☆

Question 3. On a map, 1 inch stands for 50 miles. Two towns are 3.5 inches apart on the map. How far apart are the towns in real life?

  1. ① 53.5 miles
  2. ② 150 miles
  3. ③ 175 miles
  4. ④ 200 miles
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Answer: ③ 175 miles

Key point: Map distance x scale = real distance

Work it out step by step:

  1. Each inch = 50 miles.
  2. 3.5 inches x 50 miles = 175 miles.

Check: 3 inches = 150 miles, plus half an inch = 25 miles, so 150 + 25 = 175.

Wrong choices

  • 53.5 miles: 53.5 miles adds the numbers instead of multiplying.
  • 150 miles: 150 miles is 3 inches. The extra half inch adds 25 more miles.
  • 200 miles: 200 miles would be 4 inches on the map.
Practice questionReviewedGeography and the World › Places, Regions, and Map Skills★★★★☆

Question 4. Country X has 30 million people and a land area of 150,000 square miles. What is its population density?

  1. ① 20 people per square mile
  2. ② 200 people per square mile
  3. ③ 2,000 people per square mile
  4. ④ 5,000 people per square mile
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Answer: ② 200 people per square mile

Key point: Population density = people / land area

Work it out step by step:

  1. Population density = number of people / land area.
  2. 30,000,000 / 150,000 = 200.
  3. So there are 200 people per square mile.

Check: 200 x 150,000 = 30,000,000.

Wrong choices

  • 20 people per square mile: 20 is off by a factor of 10. Check the zeros: 30,000,000 / 150,000 = 200.
  • 2,000 people per square mile: 2,000 is also off by a factor of 10.
  • 5,000 people per square mile: 5,000 divides the land area by 30, which mixes up the two numbers.
Practice questionReviewedGeography and the World › Places, Regions, and Map Skills★★★★☆

Question 5. On most maps, which direction is at the top?

  1. ① South
  2. ② West
  3. ③ North
  4. ④ East
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Answer: ③ North

Key point: Most maps put north at the top

Most maps place north at the top, south at the bottom, east on the right, and west on the left. A compass rose on the map shows the directions.

Wrong choices

  • South: South is usually at the bottom of a map.
  • West: West is usually on the left side of a map.
  • East: East is usually on the right side of a map.
Practice questionReviewedGeography and the World › Places, Regions, and Map Skills★★★★☆

Question 6. Which kind of map is best for showing how land rises and falls (its elevation) across an area?

  1. ① A time-zone map
  2. ② A topographic map with contour lines
  3. ③ A population density map
  4. ④ A political map
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Answer: ② A topographic map with contour lines

Key point: Topographic maps show elevation

A topographic map uses contour lines to show elevation. Each line connects points at the same height. Lines close together mean steep land, and lines far apart mean flatter land.

Wrong choices

  • A time-zone map: A time-zone map shows clock times in different areas.
  • A population density map: A population density map shows where people live.
  • A political map: A political map shows borders, countries, and cities, not land height.
Practice questionReviewedGeography and the World › Places, Regions, and Map Skills★★★★☆

Question 7. Part of the border between the United States and Mexico follows the Rio Grande river. What kind of border is this?

  1. ① A physical (natural) boundary
  2. ② A cultural boundary based on language
  3. ③ A geometric boundary drawn as a straight line
  4. ④ A time-zone boundary
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Answer: ① A physical (natural) boundary

Key point: Physical boundaries follow rivers, mountains, or lakes

Borders between nations can follow physical features (rivers, mountains, lakes), straight lines (geometric boundaries, such as much of the U.S.-Canada border along 49 degrees north), or cultural differences. The Rio Grande forms part of the border between Texas and Mexico.

Wrong choices

  • A cultural boundary based on language: A cultural boundary follows differences such as language or religion. This border follows a river.
  • A geometric boundary drawn as a straight line: A geometric boundary is a straight line, often along latitude. A river is not a straight line.
  • A time-zone boundary: Time-zone lines are not national borders.

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Places, Regions, and Map Skills: 5 questions →Geography and the World: 5 questions →

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