LESSON OBJECTIVES

• To provide the students some basic

knowledge about map reading and impart
them on how to orient the map by the use of
compass, types of map according to scale.
Azimuth and directions using a compass and
protractor, measuring distances on map and
means of locating one’s position on the map
and on the ground.
 SCOPE
• Map orientation
• Types of map according to scale
• Azimuth and direction using compass and
protractor
• Measuring distances on map
• Locating points on the map and means of
locating one’s position on the map and on
the ground.
 PURPOSE
• A map provides information’s on the existence and location
of, and the distance between ground features such as
populated place and routes of travel communication. It also
indicates variations in terrain, heights of natural features
and the extent of vegetation cover, it is necessary to rely on
maps to provide information to our combat elements and to
resolve logistical operations far from our shores. Troops and
materials must be transported, stored and placed into
operation at the proper time and place. Therefore, any
operation requires a supply of maps, however, the finest
maps available are worthless unless the map user knows
how to read them.
 IMPORTANCE OF MAP
 A map can give accurate
information.
 It becomes more & more necessary
to rely upon maps.
 By necessity, planning must be
done on maps.
 Adequate supply of maps.
 CARING OF MAPS
• Protect fm water, mud & tearing.
• Map should be carried in
waterproof cases, in pocket or in
place where it is handy for use.
• If you put a mark on a map, use of
pencil.
 CARING OF MAPS
• Use light lines so they maybe
erased easily without smearing
and smudging, or leaving marks
that may later cause confusion.
• Should be folded properly.
 DEFINITION OF TERMS
• MILITARY MAP – is a graphical representation projected to
the plane and drawn to scale. The prominent terrain features
and other man-made objects are represented by topographic
symbols, conventional signs and/or military symbols.

• MAP – is a geographical representation of the earth’s

surface drawn to scale in a flat plane. Man-made and natural
features are depicted by symbols, lines, colors, and forms.

• MAP READING – is the knowledge and skills necessary to

interpret correctly and efficiently map information.
• MAP SYMBOL – is a sign composed of diagram,
number. Letter, abbreviation, colors or combination
thereof which is used to identify and distinguish a
particular military unit, activity or installations.

• TOPOGRAPHIC SYMBOLS – are simple standard

drawings by which terrain features such as valleys,
mountain hills, water features, etc are shown on a
map.

• CONVENTIONAL SIGNS – are recognizable

standard drawings which represents a certain
structure in the ground as houses, roads, quarry or
any building.
 Military maps are categorized by
scale and type:
Scale – is expressed as a fraction and gives the ratio on map
distance to the ground distance. The scale can be small,
medium scale and large scale which may be confusing when
read in conjunction with the numbers. Therefore, the larger
the number is the smallest the scale of the map.

• Small Scale – 1:1,000,000 which are used in general

planning and strategic studies at the high echelon.

• Medium Scale – 1:250,000 which are used for planning

operations, including the movement and concentration of
troops and supplies.

• Large Scale – 1:50,000 which are used to meet the tactical,

technical and administrative needs of field units.
 TYPES OF MAP
• Planemetric Map – present only the horizontal position for
the features represented.

• Topographic Map – portrays terrain features as well as the

horizontal positions of the features presented.

• Photo Map – is a reproduction of an aerial photograph that

show the different parts of the map such as grid lines,
marginal data, place names and boundaries maybe added

• Joint Operation Graphic – series 1:25,000 scale map

military maps are designed foe joint ground and air
operations.
• Photo mosaic – is an assembly of aerial photographs that is
commonly called mosaic in topographic usage.

• Terrain Model – is a scale model of the terrain showing

features and in large scale models showing industrial and
cultural shapes.

• Military City Map – is a topographic map usually 1:12,500

scale of a city, delineating streets and showing street names,
importance that area compatible with the scale of the map.

• Special Map – are maps for special purposes such as traffic

ability, communications and assault maps.
 Military Use
 General map
 Strategic map
 Strategic-Tactical map
 Tactical map
Artillery map
Situation map
Planemetric Map
Topographic Map
Photomap
Terrain Model
Military City Map
Special Map
COLORS USED ON A MILITARY MAP
• Black – indicates cultural (man-made) features
such as buildings and roads.

• Reddish Brown – colors red and brown are

combines to identify cultural features, all relief
features and elevation such as contour lines on
red-light readable maps.

• Blue – identifies hydrography or water features

such as lakes, swamps, rivers, and drainage.

• Green – identifies vegetation with military

significance, such as woods, orchids, and
vineyards.
• Brown – identifies all relief features and elevation,
such as contours on older edition maps.

• Red – clarifies cultural features such as areas, main

roads and boundaries on older maps.

• Yellow – Contaminated by gas and chemical

reaction either friendly or enemy units.

• Others – occasionally other colors may be used to

show special information, it indicates in the marginal
information as a rule.
 MARGINAL INFORMATION
• Sheet Name – found in the center at the top margin.
Generally, a map is named after its outstanding cultural or
geographic features. Whenever possible the name of the
largest city or town on the map will be used.

• Sheet Number – found on the upper right hand margin. It

is the reference number assigned to each map primarily
used for indexing purposes.

• Series Number and Scale – found in the upper left

margin.

• Series Number – appears in the upper right hand margin

and at the lower left hand margin.

• Edition Number – is found either in the upper margin or at

the lower margin.
• Credit Note – appears in the lower left margin. The primary
purpose of the credit note is to list the producer and
reference.

• Index to Adjoining – appears in the lower margin. It

identifies the map sheets surrounding the map you have in
your position.

• Index to Boundaries Diagram – appears in the lower margin

or right hand margin of the map.

• Projection Note – located in the lower center margin. It

indicates the method use in projecting the earth’s surface to
the plane.

• Grid Note – located in the lower center margin.

• Grid Reference Box – usually located in the lower margin. It

gives instruction for giving grid references on the map.
• Datum Notes – are located in the lower center margin.

• The Legend – located in the lower margin. It illustrates and

identifies some symbols used on the map.

• Declination Diagram – located in the lower margin and

indicates the relationship of the map features to true north,
grid and magnetic north.

• Declination protractor – an index point along the lower

border of the map labeled “P” and a protractor scale which
is in the upper margin. It is used for the laying out of the
exact magnetic (compass) north line of the map.

• User’s Note – located in the lower center margin. It states

that user’s noting errors or omission on the map must
forward connections to the manufacturer of the map.
• Unit Imprint – located in the lower right margin. It identifies the
agency which printed the map.

• Elevation Note or Interval Note – appears in the lower margin. It

states the vertical distances between contour lines on the map.

• Coverage Diagram – on map at scale 1:1,000,000 and smaller the

coverage diagram may be used. It indicates the methods by which
the map was made.

• Glossary – maps of foreign areas, where the native language is

other than English, a glossary may appear in the lower right
margin.

• Classification – when required, a security classification will be

shown in the upper and lower margins.

• Latitude and Longitude Designation – the map are lines of

latitude and longitude and at each of the corner of the map is the
latitude and longitude designation of that corner indicated in
degrees and minutes.
 Serial Number
Example: S701
S – word series
7 – scale of the map as follows;
8 – 1:25,000, 7 – 1: 50,000
6 – 1:100,000
0 – Sub-geographical area as follows;
0 – Philippines 1 – Luzon
2 – Visayas 3 – Panay
4 – Sulu 5 – Mindanao
TOPOGRAPHIC SYMBOLS
Building Bridge
Church
Heliport
School

Hospital
Elevated Tank
 MILITARY SYMBOLS
• ACCORDING TO SIZE
SQUAD X
SECTION BRIGADE
XX DIVISION
PLATOON XXX CORPS
COMPANY XXXX ARMY
BATTALION
GROUP/REG
 ACCORDING TO UNIT

UNIT ARTILLERY

CP ARMOR

INF ENGINEER

MECH INF QUARTER

MASTER
SIGNAL OP

AIRBORNE RECON

ORDNANCE SUPPLY
TRAIN

MEDICAL AIR ASSAULT

INFANTRY
AVIATION
 GRID
Geographic Coordinates – is one of the oldest systematic
methods of location/and is based upon the geographic coordinate
system buy drawing a set of east-west (latitude) north-south rings
(longitude). It is expressed in angular measurement.

Military Grid System – is a network of squares formed by the

north-south and east-west grid lines place on a map. The distance
between grid lines represents 1,000 or 10,000 meters depending
upon the scale of the map. This system enables the map reader to
quickly and accurately locate a point on a map.

Grid lines – are identified by a specific numbers printed on the

margin opposite the line it indicates. Any point on a map can be
identified by coordinates. The following are the rules for reading
grid coordinates.
• Use the large bold – faced number in the marginal
labeling both grid line.

• Starting from the lower – left hand corner of the

map, read right and up.

• Write the grid coordinates as a continuous series of

numbers. In the following examples we shall be able
to determine the grid square of a point in the map
within 100 meters and to locate the points within 10
meters.

• Determine the grid square.

• Locate a point with in 10 meters (100 meters square)
reading indicated that a point is located nearest the
100 meter.

• Locating appoint within 10 meters. The same rule as

applied in the preceding example is observed.
However, in locating a point nearest the 10 meters,
used the 8-digit coordinate system, that gives you the
exact location on the map
 SCALE
Ground Distance (GD) – can be determined from a
map by the scale. Scale is the relation between
distance on the map and actual distance on the
ground. It is expressed in one or more of the
following ways:

Works and Figures – scale may be expressed by a

simple statement like “3 inches equals 1 mile”,
meaning 3 inches on the map equals 1 mile on the
ground. Similarly, “1 inch equal 200 feet” meaning 1
inch on the map is equal to 200 feet on the ground.
• Representative Fraction (RF) – the representative
fraction formula is:

Map Distance (MD)

RF= -------------------------------------
Ground Distance (GD)

• In which the numerator and denominator are

expressed in the same unit, as inches, feet, yards,
meters or miles. The RF appearing in the margins
as 1:20,000 such units on the ground. The larger
the denominator of the RF, the smaller the scale of
the map. Thus, a 1:1,000,000 map is a small scale
map and 1:20,000 is large scale map.
Comparison with the Ground distance

Example: 1/X, RF = 1/X = MD/GD

MD = 4.32 centimeters
GD = 2.16kms (216,000 cms)

1 4.32 4.32X = 216,000

RF
X 216,000 4.32 4.32

X =50,000
 RF = 1/X = MD/GD
Ex: MD = GD/Denominator of RF
GD = 2,200 meters
RF = 1:50,000

MD = 2,200/50,000
= 0.044 mtr x 100 (cm in a mtr)
= 4.4 centimeters
• Graphic Scale – distance may also be measured
by the graphic scale, a special ruler for the
particular map, printed in the margin.

• Conversion Factor – distance may be expressed

in either the English of the Metric System and it
may be necessary to convert measurement of the
system with those of another. Common unit is of
metric linear measure.

1 mile = 1, 760 yards = 1.609 kilometers = 1, 609

meters
1 kilometer = 1.094 yards = 0.62 mile
1 meter = 1.094 yards = 39.37 inches]
1 yard = 0.91 meter = 36 inches
 BASIC DIRECTION
• Direction from one point to another is always
expressed as an angle from the bases line.
There are three bases direction, namely:
TRUE NORTH (star), MAGNETIC NORTH
(half arrowhead) and GRID NORTH (Y or
GN)
• True North – is the direction to the north pole. It is
used in surveying where great accuracy is required but
is not normally used by military personnel in the field.
Meridian or longitude lines on a map represent True
North and South direction. It is almost directly under
the North Star Polaris, but I Degree off center.

• Magnetic North – is the direction of the north magnetic

pole. It is indicated by the N (north seeking) of the
compass needed. It is ordinary used for field work
because it can be found directly with the common
compass.

• Grid North – is the direction of the vertical grid lines

usually found on military maps. Determination of
direction by grid north is convenient because grid lines
are located at frequent intervals on maps.
Base Lines
 True North

 Magnetic North

 Grid North GN or Y
 USE AND DETERMINATION OF AZIMUTH
• Declination – is the difference in direction between true north
and magnetic south or between the true north and grid north.
There are therefore two declinations: MAGNETIC and GRID.

– Magnetic Declination – is the angle formed between the

magnetic north and the true north. If the magnetic north and
true north is on the same line, the magnetic declination is
zero. If the magnetic north is EAST of the True North, the
magnetic declination is EAST. If the magnetic is WEST of
the True North, the magnetic declination is WEST.

– Grid Declination – or Gisement, is the angle formed

between the True North and the Grid North. The Grid
declination is East if the Grid North is East of the True
North.
– G-M Angle – the angle formed by the Magnetic North
and The Grid North is called G-M angle. If the
Magnetic is East of the Grid North, the G-M angle is
east. If the Magnetic North is West of the Grid North,
the G-M angle is West. This angle is used frequently in
filed map reading and its value can be found on the
marginal data of maps.

– Declination Diagram – printed on the margin of

military maps. It has three prongs showing the
direction of True North, Magnetic North, and Grid
North. The angle between prongs is usually drawn
accurately and can be used for graphic work on the
map. For reasons given below, declination diagram
should be verified by measurement before being used
for this purpose. On some maps when the declination
is small, the diagram is exaggerated.
• Forward Azimuth – in describing the position of one
point on map or in field with reference to some other
point, the Army uses the Azimuth system of
measuring direction. Military azimuth is horizontal
angle measured clockwise from magnetic, True or
Grid North base lines.

– Magnetic Azimuth – is the horizontal angle

measured clockwise from magnetic north to the
line.

– Grid Azimuth – is the horizontal angle measured

clockwise from the grid north to the line.
– True Azimuth – azimuth measured with true north as
base line.

– Relation between Magnetic and Grid Azimuth in the

filed, Magnetic Azimuth is read directly from the
compass. If the map is one with the protractor and
pivot point, the magnetic grid line maybe drawn easily
on the map, and that is the line used to plot the
compass reading. However, for older compass
reading is usually converted to grid azimuth before it is
plotted on the map. The difference between grid and
magnetic azimuth is G-M angle.
• When MN is East of GN, GAZ equal MAZ plus G-M
angle
• When MN is West of GN, GAZ equal MAZ minus
G-M angle.
• Back Azimuth – BAZ is usually the AZ of the
line viewed backward. The BAZ of the line is
its FAZ plus 180 degrees, the back azimuth
minus 180 degrees. For example, if the FAZ
of a line is 50 degrees, the BAZ is 50
degrees plus 180 degrees. Or if the FAZ of
the line is 31 degrees minus 180 degrees
equals 130 degrees.
Azimuths - is a horizontal angle,
measured in a clockwise manner
fm a north base line.
Back Azimuth – reverse direction
ADD 180 AZIMUTH IS 180
O- O

OR LESS. SUBTRACT 180O -

AZIMUTH IS 180O OR MORE.
 0 or 360O

295 O

Ba

Az
ck
Azi

im
mu

ut
th

h
270O 90O

115 O

180O
 ORIENTATION OF MAP
A map is oriented when a horizontal position, its north and all
map lines are parallel to their corresponding lines on the
ground. A map user oriented when he knows his position in
the orients map.

• Orientation by Compass – placed the map on the flat

surface and draw the MN line and follow these steps:
– Open the compass and place it over the MN lines that
sighting wire in the front sight cover is nearest top of the
map and is directly over the MN line that has been drawn.
– Turn the map taking care not to move the compass from its
position over the MN line, until the north arrow of the
compass is aligned with index line of the inner glass.
– Orientation by Inspection – carefully examine the map
and ground features that are common to both map and
ground. Align the features on the map with same feature
on the ground. The map is oriented.
Method of Locating Points
o Intersection
o Resection
o Polar Plot
o Modified resection
 RESECTION

• The location of an unknown occupied

position by taking sights on two or more
identifiable positions whose positions
are known.
 Compass and protractor method of
Resection:
• Selects two visible objects on the terrain, as “B” and
“C” which can be identified on the map as “B” and “C”
and which are situated to the line radiating from you
to them which make an angle of 30 degrees at the
observer.
• With the compass, sight the landscape successively
recording the MAZ of each. Draw MN guide line
through the map position of each object “B” and “C”
and with the protractor lay off the respective MAZ.
Prolong these lines through the points “B” and “C”
back towards the observer until they intersect. Instead
of drawing the MN lines you can convert the MAZ to
GAZ and then plot in the grid BAZ through each
object. The intersection of this line is again the
position sought.
 Graphical Resection
• Graphical Resection – first orient your map accurately.
Look over the terrain and select two distinct visible features
on the ground, “B” and “C” which can be located and
identified on the map as “B” and “C”. The feature selected
should be located, so lines radiating from you to them from
and angle as near 90 degrees as possible. Place a pin in “B”
and lay a straight edge (ruler or pencil) against the point, turn
until it points at “B”. Draw a line on map from the pin
towards your position. Repeat the same operation with point
“C”. The intersection of two lines is your position or location
on the map. Care must be exercised that the map remains
oriented during the entire procedure. If three points are used
instead of two, your location will probably be more accurate.
 Modified Resection
• Modified Resection – a method of locating one’s
position on a map when the individual is located on
the road or some other linear terrain feature
identified on the map. A MAZ is taken to some
points which be identified both on the ground and
on the map. Form this; compute the BAZ and cover
to GAZ, draw this GAZ on the map from the known
point. Where this Azimuth line on the map crosses
or intersects the road or either linear terrain
features is the location of the individual.
 INTERSECTION
• Intersection is the location of an unknown, unoccupied point
by taking sights to the unknown point at least two known
occupied positions.
• Compass and Protractor Method as Intersection – move to a
certain feature “A” which can be identified on your map at “A”
and take a compass sight on the object “C” you wish to locate.
Move to another readily unidentifiable feature “B” and again
sight on the object “C’ with your compass. Tehn change the
MAZ to GAZ and plot the GAZ through the respective
positions where you obtained the sights, or you can draw an
MN reference line through each feature on the map and plot
the MAZ intersection of two lines is the location of the objects.
Graphic (Bar) Scales
Secondary Scale Primary Scale

Meters 1000 0 1 2 3 4 5 Kilometers

1 ½ 0 1 2 3 Substitute Miles

1 ½ 0 1 2 3 Nautical miles

Transferring map distance to paper strip

Measuring straight-line map distance
Measuring curved lines
1. It is a topographic color in the map that indicates cultural (man-made)
features such as buildings and roads.
a. Brown b. Green c. Black d. All of these

2. It is a geographical representation of the earth’s surface drawn to scale

in a flat plane. Man-made and natural features are depicted by symbols,
lines, colors, and forms.
a. Military Map b. Map c. Topographic Map d. Map Reading

3. It is a sign composed of diagram, number. Letter, abbreviation, colors

or combination thereof which is used to identify and distinguish a
particular military unit, activity or installations.
a. Topographic Symbols b. Map Symbol
c. Conventional Signs d. None of the above

4. It is a topographic color in the map that represents bodies of water.

a. Brown b. Green c. Blue d. All of these

5. Types of map represent only the horizontal (flat) position.

a. Photo map b. Topographic map c. Plane metric map
d. Photo mosaic
6. Expressed as a fraction and given ration on small distance to ground
distance.
a. Scale b. Small scale c. Medium scale d. Large scale

7. It is a topographic color that represents all relief features and

elevation such as contours on older edition maps.
a. Black b. Blue c. Green d. Brown

8. A scale of 1:50,000 used to meet the tactical, technical and

administrative needs of field units.
a. Graphic scale b. Medium scale c. Large scale d. None of
these

9. It is the direction of the north magnetic pole.

a. Magnetic north b. Grid north c. Base direction d. None of these

10. It is the direction of the vertical grid lines usually found on military
maps.
a. Graphic b. Grid north c. Base d. True north
ANSWER KEY

1. c
2. b
3. b
4. c
5. c
6. a
7. d
8. b
9. a
10. b