In map literacy, what does a legend explain on a map?

• A. Scale and distance
• B. North direction
• C. Elevation contours
• D. Symbols, colors, and meanings used on the map

Answer: (D)

A map’s legend (or key) is the decoder for the symbols, colors, and lines used on the map. It explains what each mark represents, so you can interpret features like highways, parks, rivers, and airports just by looking at the symbols and colors. Without the legend, those marks are just shapes.

Scale and distance come from the scale bar or ratio on the map, not the legend, so you use that to measure how far apart features are. Direction is shown by a north arrow or compass rose, indicating which way is north. Elevation contours are specific lines on a topographic map that show height above sea level, often with numbers, and they’re explained by the map’s labeling rather than the legend. For example, a blue line might be a river, a green area a forest, and a red line a highway—these meanings are laid out in the legend.