Geog 316
Exercise - Maps : Due: November 21, 2008
Choropleth map
For this exercise, please answer the questions listed below and make the maps as
directed. Be sure to save your project files often.
In ArcMap open a blank document. Look in your Price MGIS data under the USA
directory and add the shapefile called STATES.
Open the Attribute table and look at the different fields in the database. How many
different fields are shown in the table? List four of those fields. How many different
records are in the database? List 5 of them.
You will make a choropleth map that shows the number of children under the age of 5 in
the US by enumeration unit (what enumeration unit will you be using?)
1. Right click on the properties of the STATES shapefile and go to Symbology. Go
to quantities and then “graduated colors”. Go to the values tab and select the
ageunder_5 field.
2. Next go to the Classification tab and click on 7.
3. Go to the color ramp and choose one. Click on OK.
4. You now have a choropleth map that shows the number of children under the age
of 5 by enumeration unit. Change the scale to 1:30,000,000
5. Go to file, then page and print setup, and change the orientation to landscape.
6. Go to layout view and show only the lower 48 states.
7. Finish layout of the map in Coreldraw – be sure to include all of the necessary
map elements and pay attention to balance and layout. Save the map in pdf
format and name the file choro.pdf
8. Add a text box to the map that answers the questions asked above.
9. Add a link on your website and name it “Example of Choropleth Map”.
Dot Density map
From the MGIS data open ex_4 Arcmap document and save to your directory in the lab
computer. This should open up a map document of the state of South Dakota. You will
make a dot density map that shows all of the households in the state of South Dakota.
1. Right click on the properties of the COUNTIES attribute table.
2. Go to quantities and then select DOT DENSITY.
3. In the field column select HOUSEHOLDS and use the arrow to add it in the
symbol-field window.
4. Pick a set of colors from the color ramp.
5. Pick a background that is compatible with the dot color that you chose.
6. Make the dot value = 1000 (1000 households per dot).
