Geographic Information System Study Guide
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
TRSP 619.085
SPRING SEMESTER 2010
Study Questions
1) What is Geographic Information System (GIS)? What are some of the major differences between GIS and related technologies such CAD (computer aided design) and AM/FM (automated mapping/facility management)? A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information. GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. GIS technology can be integrated into any enterprise information system framework. These maps might be represented as several different layers where each layer holds data about a particular kind of feature. Each feature is linked to a position on the graphical image of a map. Layers of data are organized to be studied and to perform statistical analysis. Uses are primarily government related, town planning, local authority and public utility management, environmental, resource management, engineering, business, marketing, and distribution.
2) What is Topology and what role does it play in GIS? Topology refers to the spatial relationships between the points and lines that define geographic features. Topology defines and enforces data integrity rules (for example, there should be no gaps between polygons). It supports topological relationship queries and navigation (for example, navigating feature adjacency or connectivity), supports sophisticated editing tools, and allows feature construction from unstructured geometry (for example, constructing polygons from lines). It is the branch of geometry that deals with the properties of a figure that remain unchanged even
TRSP 619.085
SPRING SEMESTER 2010
Study Questions
1) What is Geographic Information System (GIS)? What are some of the major differences between GIS and related technologies such CAD (computer aided design) and AM/FM (automated mapping/facility management)? A geographic information system (GIS) integrates hardware, software, and data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information. GIS allows us to view, understand, question, interpret, and visualize data in many ways that reveal relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, globes, reports, and charts. A GIS helps you answer questions and solve problems by looking at your data in a way that is quickly understood and easily shared. GIS technology can be integrated into any enterprise information system framework. These maps might be represented as several different layers where each layer holds data about a particular kind of feature. Each feature is linked to a position on the graphical image of a map. Layers of data are organized to be studied and to perform statistical analysis. Uses are primarily government related, town planning, local authority and public utility management, environmental, resource management, engineering, business, marketing, and distribution.
2) What is Topology and what role does it play in GIS? Topology refers to the spatial relationships between the points and lines that define geographic features. Topology defines and enforces data integrity rules (for example, there should be no gaps between polygons). It supports topological relationship queries and navigation (for example, navigating feature adjacency or connectivity), supports sophisticated editing tools, and allows feature construction from unstructured geometry (for example, constructing polygons from lines). It is the branch of geometry that deals with the properties of a figure that remain unchanged even