GIS NOTES FOR 2024 LEARNERS

GIS is a computer-based technology and method for collecting, analysing,

managing, modelling and presenting geographical data for a wide range of
users.
Components of GIS:
 People / users
 Software / computer programmes
 Data / information / maps / photos
 Applications
 Hardware / computer
 Procedure
What role do people play in GIS?
People collect the data
People manipulate and process the information
People use the information
People develop GIS programmes and capture data
Vector data: Real world is shown by means of points, lines and polygons.
Vector data uses the following:
Lines, points and polygons.
Examples of polygon features:
 cultivated land 
 woodland 
 sewage disposal works 
 cemetery 
 slimes dam 
 mine dump 
 built-up area
Examples of line features.
 non-perennial river
 other road 
 national route
 track/hiking trail
 railway line
Examples of point features.
 fountain 
 trees
 house
 trig beacon
Processes when working with a GIS.
 Data input

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  Data storage
 Data manipulation
 Data analysis
 Output information
 Data management
 Data application

Raster data: Real world features shown by means of pixels.

Spatial data:
Data that can be specified by referring to geographic locations

Attribute data
Data that is described in words, numbers and pictures

Examples of spatial data found on a map.

 Roads
 Rivers
 Houses or buildings
 Parks
 Dams
Data layering (concept)

Define data layering.

Maps showing different types of information are projected onto one another/placed
on top of one another.
Layers of maps that can be identified.
 Vegetation 

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  Drainage 
 Cultivation
 Relief 
 Infrastructure (roads, railway lines, etc.) 
 Land-use 
 Built-up areas
Uses of data layering
 Different sets of data can be compared
 Relationships between different sets of data can be
established 
 Analysing different sets of information 
 Comparisons can assist with future developments
Why is data layering (information layers) important in a GIS?
Different sets of data can be compared.
Integrated picture of landscape.
Relationships between different sets of data can be established.
Analyse different sets of information.
Comparisons can assist with future developments.
Helps with querying.
Buffering
Definition:
Drawing of rings around features at a specific distance/process of creating areas
of calculated distances from a feature/process of demarcating a specified area
around a feature.

line buffer example

point buffer example

polygon buffer example

How can buffering assist a school?
 Determine possible number of households of learners in feeder
zone 
 Assist with admissions to the school 
 Planning possible transport routes to and from school

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  Planning of additional schools
 Determine distance learners must travel to school
Justify the need to create a buffer zone along a river when it passes a settlement.
Buffer will protect the river ecosystem √√
To prevent pollution from pesticides and industrial wastes from being deposited in
the river √√
Buffer zone will indicate where no residential, industrial and agricultural activities
can be located √√
Protection of local inhabitants against flooding
How do new/ potential businesses use GIS?
 Find information about other existing businesses (competition)
 Find the total population in order to analyse the potential market
 Find financial statistics that show growth
 Determine income of people in order to establish whether business will be
feasible
 Determine demand for business
 Work out routes for deliveries
 Find ideal location for business
 Determine crime hotspot areas

Remote sensing.
Refers to the observation of the earth from a distance using satellites to gather
information without having direct contact with an area.

Advantages of remote sensing.

How can remote sensing be of use in disaster management?

Measure the exact extent of the disaster √√
Can monitor the impact of the disaster over time √√

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 Use for planning to avoid similar disasters.

Refer to the image below.

1.1.1 Which GIS method was used by the satellite above to gather
information?

Remote sensing (1 x 1) (1)

1.1.2 Data gathered by a satellite is not always user-friendly. Which GIS

process is used to ensure that data can be used by all people?

Data standardisation
Data processing
Data manipulation
(Any ONE) (1 x 1) (1)

1.1.3 Images from the satellite were used to construct the topographical
map. Explain how South African topographical maps are standardised .

The symbols used on the topographic maps are standard/the same

The scale of 1: 50 000 is used on all South African topographic
maps
All South African topographic maps use the Gauss Conform Projection
The contour intervals are always 20 m
The sheet index is consistent
Linear scale evident on all maps
The magnetic declination for the map is always indicated
The use of alpha-numeric grid cells (Any TWO)

1.1.4 Explain the term data standardization

To make the data similar to other data set.

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 Refer to the rough sketch below, an exaggerated version of block F8.
(The examiner's sketch of block F8 is not drawn to scale).

Reference:

1 – Orchards and vineyards

2 – Cultivated lands
1.3.1 NO data standardisation is taking place in the sketch.
Give a reason to substantiate (support) this statement.

Data integration
Illustration of data integration.

Definition.
The integration of data from different maps into one map which summarises the
overlaying process.
What are the problems associated with data integration ?
 Maps have different scales. 
 Different map projections are used on maps. 
 Different georeferenced maps are used.

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 Of what importance is data integration to a geographer?
 A summary of integrated data is produced which makes it easier to analyse
data.
The plan view sketch of a part of Queenstown below is an example of data
integration.

1.1.1 Explain the term data integration.

It is the combining of different sources of information to give the user a unified
view [Concept] (1 x 1) (1)

1.1.2 Name TWO sources that could have been used to obtain information
to produce this sketch map.

Topographical map
Orthophoto map
Satellite photographs
Aerial photographs [Any TWO] (2 x 1) (2)

1.1.3 State ONE problem for a cartographer when he/she was producing this sketch map.

Using maps with different scales

Getting the scale accurate
Getting the shapes of the features correct
Using maps with different map projections [Any ONE] (1 x 1) (1)

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 Data manipulation refers to data that is processed and converted into useful
information. A primary source/data is manipulated to create a secondary
source/data.

1.3.1 Is the orthophoto map an example of a primary or a secondary source?

Secondary (1 x 1) (1)

1.3.2 Give a reason for your answer to QUESTION 1.3.1.

Information such as contour lines, features and names are added to

a vertical aerial photograph (1 x 2) (2)

What is a database?
A storage system with linked tables. Or
Data is stored in tables which are linked to other tables.

A database holds all of the information about a record. The name, address, phone
number, meeting attendance, publications ordered, committee membership, and
any other information you choose is kept in a single database
For example: A telephone book is a database. It contains a list of records, each of
which consists of three fields: name, address, and telephone number
Why is it sometimes necessary to manipulate data in a database?

Data Acquisition - is a process of identifying and collecting specific information

(data) to solve a particular problem.
Data acquisition involves the following processes:
 Planning

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  Pre processing
 Processing
 Evaluation
Planning- involves establishing user requirements, listing the data required and
identifying sources of data
Pre-processing –involves obtaining data, digitising, image rectification, editing
scanned map (images), correcting errors and improving quality
Processing- involves removing unwanted information Transformation i.e.
integration of information Editing Vector Maps

Evaluation – is the process of evaluating the project successes and failures

Sources of spatial data are:

 Government Departments
 Private organisations (consultants)
 Primary Data Capturing - creating 'new' data.
 Secondary Data Capturing - gathering data that was collected by someone else
(probably for a different purpose).

Advantages of using Secondary Data

 As secondary data is usually available more cheaply. The collection of
secondary data is generally significantly quicker and easier (and hence less
costly) than collecting the same data 'from scratch'
 Existing data are likely to be available in more convenient form, digital
format example internet.
 Using secondary data can give us access to otherwise-unavailable
organisations, individuals or locations.
 Secondary data allows the researcher to compare data on 'time base' i.e.
origin of data to current data.
 Secondary data is likely to be pre-processed thus eliminating the time-
consuming (and hence costly) analysis stage.

Disadvantages of using secondary data are as follows:

 The method used to collect secondary data is often unknown to the user of
the data (apart from major sources like Census).
 The user has little or no knowledge of the processing methods used.
 The user rarely has access to the primary data to check against.

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