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ArcGIS Exam 1 Questions and Answers
2024/2025
Definition and Components of GIS
A geographic information system (GIS) is a system designed to capture, store,
manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data.
The five components of GIS= People, Methods and procedures, Data, Hardware, Software
What does GIS do and why is it important?
GIS integrates various information and allows us to see the 'whole'. You can layer
things like social factors, biodiversity, engineering, land use, and environmental
considerations all on one map.
Its important because most information has spatial components that we would like to map.
Applications of GIS
Geology, Hydrology and water quality, Business, crime(hotspots, ranges, types),
Emergency response managment, etc....
History of GIS
-Emerged from cartography and was due to advances in scientific studies that
increased the need from mapping different attributes.
-Development of computers in the 1960s allowed the use of spatial analysis and quantitative
thematic mapping in solving spatial problems.
-ESRI is the leading industry for GIS, started in 1960s
GIS Functionality
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Not just mapping. GIS can help you find an object, where something is in relation to
something else, how many, how large,
What makes up geospatial data?
Location and characteristics of spatial features. ex. a road: where but also name
length, and speed limit.
Aspatial data- only attributes
Geographic Inquiry Process
Ask a geographic question
Acquire geographic data
Explore geograaphic data
Analyze geographic data
Act on geographic knowledge
Basic characteristics of GIS data
Represent real-world features and their associated information with maps on a
computer.
Maps portray the real world in points, lines, polygons and annotated features.
Points- pole, bore hole, river discharge station.
Lines- river, road, rail, trail.
Polygons- village, town, land parcel.
Annotated features- labels attached to features on a map for more specific information.
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Basic Functions provided by a GIS
Data entry: Allows data entry from a variety of sources.
Data management: Provides a means to manage data.
Thematic mapping: Displays data in map/layer form.
Data analysis: Performs data analysis functions for exploring spatial relationships in and
between map layers.
Map layout: Provide map layout functions for creating soft and hard copy maps.
Explain Coordinates
Define the spatial location and extent of geographic objects
Pair of numbers that specify a location in reference to an origin
ALL SPATIAL DATA MUST HAVE COORDINATES; that's what makes it spatial!
Describe discrete objects
Objects that exist in one place and not in another
Have identifiable boundaries & attributes
Can be present or absent=
Roads
Houses
States
Describe Continuous Data
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A quantity that exists over the entire map area
Always present; changes in value from place to place (continuously distributed)
Elevation
Temperature
Precipitation
What are the two main data models in GIS?
Vector data model (discrete)
Raster data model (continuous)
Define georeferenced
associate something with locations in physical space. When you get something to line
up well in your map
Explain Vector data models
-Spatial objects are represented as points, lines and polygons.
-Points features represent objects with no dimension.
Well, transmission pole, sampling locality.
-Line features represent objects in one dimension.
Road, rail, river, trail.
-Polygons represent features in two dimensional areas.
Parcel, town, state, lake.
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