Spatial analysis and GIS
Vector and raster data, map scale and projections, data sources like LiDAR, overlay and suitability analysis, map types, the modifiable areal unit problem, and gravity models.
Lesson 4 of 40 · about 25 minutes
Learning objectives
- Distinguish vector and raster data and choose the right one for a given feature.
- Explain map scale and map projections, and why layers must share a coordinate system.
- Describe where spatial data comes from, including aerial imagery, LiDAR, and open data, and the privacy questions it raises.
- Describe buffer, overlay, and network analysis and the planning questions each answers.
- Explain land suitability analysis and its roots in McHarg's overlay method.
- Design a choropleth map that doesn't mislead, and explain the modifiable areal unit problem.
- Describe the gravity model and choose the right chart for a dataset.
Key concepts
What GIS does
A geographic information system (GIS) stores, analyzes, and displays data tied to locations. Its power comes from linking where something is to what it is: each mapped feature carries attributes in a table (a parcel's zoning, assessed value, and year built), so you can ask spatial questions like "Which vacant parcels zoned for housing are within half a mile of a transit station?"
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