Texas Civil Service Exam Map Reading and Spatial Orientation 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: On a topographic map, contour lines that are spaced very close together indicate:
- A gentle, gradual slope
- A steep terrain feature (Correct answer)
- A flat valley floor
- A depression in the land
Correct answer: A steep terrain feature
Closely spaced contour lines represent steep terrain because elevation changes rapidly over a short horizontal distance.
Question 2: A map legend shows a dashed line symbol. This most likely represents:
- A major highway
- A state boundary
- An unpaved or unimproved road (Correct answer)
- A railroad track
Correct answer: An unpaved or unimproved road
Dashed lines on road maps typically indicate unpaved, dirt, or unimproved roads as opposed to solid lines for paved roads.
Question 3: When traveling south, you turn left. What direction are you now heading?
- North
- East (Correct answer)
- West
- Southeast
Correct answer: East
Turning left while heading south results in facing east, as east is 90 degrees counterclockwise from south.
Question 4: A map scale reads 1:24,000. If a road measures 3 inches on the map, what is the actual length of the road?
- 24,000 feet
- 6,000 feet
- 72,000 inches (6,000 feet) (Correct answer)
- 3 miles
Correct answer: 72,000 inches (6,000 feet)
3 inches × 24,000 = 72,000 inches, which equals 6,000 feet or about 1.14 miles.
Question 5: Which quadrant of the compass falls between south and west?
- Northeast
- Southeast
- Northwest
- Southwest (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Southwest
Southwest lies between south and west, typically at 225 degrees on a compass bearing.
Question 6: On a street map, a patrol officer notes that the block numbers on Main Street increase as you travel north. She is at 400 Main Street. The suspect was last seen at 700 Main Street. In which direction should she travel?
- South
- East
- West
- North (Correct answer)
Correct answer: North
Since block numbers increase going north, traveling from 400 to 700 requires heading north.
Question 7: A civil service officer needs to reach a location described as '2 blocks east and 3 blocks north' of her current position. If she can only travel along city blocks, what is the minimum number of blocks she must travel?
- 3 blocks
- 5 blocks (Correct answer)
- 6 blocks
- 2 blocks
Correct answer: 5 blocks
The minimum path is 2 blocks east plus 3 blocks north, totaling 5 blocks regardless of route order.
