What is the purpose of a map legend?

• A. To explain symbols and colors used on the map.
• B. To show compass directions only.
• C. To indicate scale only.
• D. To provide weather data.

Answer: (A)

A map legend explains what the symbols and colors on the map represent. It’s the translation key that tells you that a solid line equals a road, a dashed line is a trail, blue shading marks water, green indicates vegetation, contour lines show elevation, and so on. Without the legend, you wouldn’t know which marks correspond to real features, making the map difficult or impossible to interpret. Compass directions come from a compass rose or north arrow placed elsewhere on the map, and scale is shown by a scale bar or ratio, not the legend. Weather data is not a standard part of a map legend. So the legend’s role is to decode the symbols and colors used on the map.