Lab 7

         The map on Asian population in the U.S. is interesting because it shows how densely populated Asian people are in small areas of the country, and how sparse they are in the vast majority of the U.S. Specifically, they seem to be densely centered around the counties that contain the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Washington D.C., and a few central U.S. cities. As for the rest of the country, their seem to be low percentages throughout.   

         While the map on Black population within the U.S. features some counties that have a medium density, like the ones that contain Los Angeles, Seattle, and Miami, the blatantly obvious center is in the Southeastern United States. The states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia and eastern Texas and northern Florida are thickly populated by a high percentage of Black people. This is especially true in the counties that contain Atlanta, New Orleans, Birmingham, Mobile, Little Rock, Charleston, and Raleigh.  

         The map on Race Alone within the U.S. is almost assuredly about the Native American population in the United States. The areas that are densely populated, central Florida, southern Arizona, southern Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, eastern Washington, and northern Utah, are all areas that are very sparsely populated, but of the population there, many are Native Americans. Now, when looking at California, then entire southern and central areas of the state are shaded darkly, indicating that these are places where a race that describes themselves as "other" reside. While I do not know exactly which race this is, it makes sense that it is in an area that is heavily populated so that numerous races could mark themselves under "other."

         This census map series was quite interesting to create because it showed the real uses of GIS in outputting data into informative thematic maps. It's also very rewarding knowing that you're working with data that's extremely important and that can be utilized in a way to make things better or more efficient in today's society. Censuses are vastly important for projects such as development and construction within cities, governmental funding, academic school information, and many other facets of civilized life.

         My overall impression of GIS is that it is a completely necessary and helpful system that many of use without even really thinking about it. Of course there are maps and reference tools, but GIS is also utilized in our iPhones and computers, in our cars and airplanes, and without them, we'd often find ourselves at a loss. GIS allows us to live in a global world where we can stay connected even thousands of miles apart, and it without a doubt is a unique and vital tool. 

Lab 6

 

         The area I selected for my maps was located in southeastern California, along the border between California and Nevada. I chose this area because of the range of elevations and the fact that it is quite mountainous. The decimal degree of the area is -118.374 E, -117.503 E and 36.936 N, 36.459 N. The geographic coordinate system used was the GCS North American 1983 survey.

Week 6 Lab

         Using map projections is an extremely helpful tool in today's society, but there are a few pitfalls involved with it. Map projections are 3D models placed onto 2D references, and there are many different types. Some preserve the equal area of the map, some the equal distance, and some are conformal. The six above have two representations of each.

         Map projections help give a greater sense of the world around us. As previously stated, there are many different kinds, and for each kind, there is a specific projection that is appropriate for the information that is being shown. Projections are important because they help map users create maps, most of which are quite unique and some that are not very practical, but still interesting. 

         The downside to map projections is that they do not always present a picture of the Earth that is completely accurate. For instance, the state of Alaska looks extraordinarily larger than it really is on the Mercator map projection, and the Behrmann Equal Area Cylindrical map projection presents a map that makes the northern and southern areas appear smaller in comparison to areas around the equator. Also, as shown above, distances can be warped and skewed based on what type of measuring system is used. 

         Map projections are useful devices for creating and manufacturing maps, even though they possess some faults. These problems are not grave, however, if the person reading the maps knows about the differences and can pick the correct map for the information they desire.

Lab 4 Final Product

         GIS (Geographic Information Systems) are extremely beneficial tools, but do have a few drawbacks. For this lab report, I used the ArcGIS program to create and edit a map from preexisting data. The map was based upon an airport and its surrounding area, and the airport's proposed expansion, along with how the noise form the airport affects schools and residential communities within a certain range. 

         GIS are useful because they allow individuals to compose and consolidate data into a visual map or reference that can be used in any number of different applications. It allows a person to not only figure out where something is, but also what it is and why it is there. Information and data are inputed into a GIS, and the outputs are the maps, scales, and surveys we use frequently throughout our lives. Without even thinking about it, we use our iPhones and MapQuest and other applications to make our everyday lives easier, and all these are made possible by GIS.

         The problems with GIS are that they are often quite expensive programs and take a while to get to know how to use. They are quite effective, but they are not simple, and without the introduction to ArcGIS presented at the beginning of this lab, I would have been completely lost. Also, the outputs of GIS are time consuming to create, and I am well aware of this fact. I spent a collective 4 hours working on this lab. 

         All in all, the benefits of GIS far exceed the costs. While it does have a few downsides, its an extremely advantageous and productive tool, and without a doubt the most effective way to create and compose geographic information into references.