GISP CERTIFICATION EVALUATION 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ 3 Ways to specify color. Answer: RGB: Red, green and blue
CMYK: Cyan, magenta, yellow, black
HSV: Hue, saturation, value
⩥ RGB. Answer: Red, green and blue is the additive color system. The
absence of each color creates black and the max value of 255 of each
color creates white. The combination of 2 colors creates a subtractive
color.
⩥ RGBA. Answer: The A is for "Alpha". This value indicates
transparency. 0 is fully transparent. 255 if using 8-bit color, is fully
opaque.
⩥ Opacity. Answer: Lacking transparency or translucence.
⩥ CMYK. Answer: The subtractive color system creates colors with the
bases: Cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The absence of all bases is
white light. Subtractive colors absorb parts of the light spectrum leaving
the rest of the spectrum behind. Mixing all subtractive colors creates
black.
,⩥ HSV. Answer: Hue, saturation, value is another additive color system.
Hue is the additive color base determined by amounts of primary colors.
Saturation is the intensity of the color. Less intensity creates a lighter,
white color. Value is the dimension of lightness/darkness. Lower values
create a darker color.
⩥ Feature Map. Answer: Show real world features represented by
cartographic objects. Used for navigation and reference maps. Also
called reference maps.
⩥ Thematic Map. Answer: A map of a particular subject matter or
theme. A thematic map usually visualizes properties of geographic
features that are not visible such as temperature, language or population.
It's best to use an equal area projection for a thematic map. Equal area
conic projections are used for the US, and equal area cylindrical
projections are used for the world.
⩥ Thematic Map Types. Answer: Choropleth Map
Dasymetric Map
Isarithmic or Isopleth Maps
Dot Density Map
Multivariate
Proportional Symbol
Graduated Symbols
, ⩥ Choropleth Map. Answer: A thematic map that uses shading, colors,
or patterns to show quantitative data about geographical areas. Each
color or pattern represents a range of values.
⩥ Dasymetric Map. Answer: Ancillary information is used to model
internal distribution of the phenomenon. A dasymetric map is just a
choropleth map where the areas have been divided into more areas using
another layer.
⩥ Isarithmic or Isopleth Maps. Answer: Maps with lines of equal value
are drawn (contour lines) or ranges of similar values are filled with
similar colors or patterns. Represents a continuos surface.
⩥ Dot Density Map. Answer: Shows distribution of quantitative
phenomena where values and locations are known. Dots are placed
where locations of variables are.
⩥ Multivariate Displays. Answer: More than 2 sets of data on a single
map
⩥ Proportional Symbol. Answer: Size of the symbol corresponds to the
magnitude of the mapped feature
⩥ Graduated symbol. Answer: The size of the symbol represents a range
of values
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ 3 Ways to specify color. Answer: RGB: Red, green and blue
CMYK: Cyan, magenta, yellow, black
HSV: Hue, saturation, value
⩥ RGB. Answer: Red, green and blue is the additive color system. The
absence of each color creates black and the max value of 255 of each
color creates white. The combination of 2 colors creates a subtractive
color.
⩥ RGBA. Answer: The A is for "Alpha". This value indicates
transparency. 0 is fully transparent. 255 if using 8-bit color, is fully
opaque.
⩥ Opacity. Answer: Lacking transparency or translucence.
⩥ CMYK. Answer: The subtractive color system creates colors with the
bases: Cyan, magenta, yellow and black. The absence of all bases is
white light. Subtractive colors absorb parts of the light spectrum leaving
the rest of the spectrum behind. Mixing all subtractive colors creates
black.
,⩥ HSV. Answer: Hue, saturation, value is another additive color system.
Hue is the additive color base determined by amounts of primary colors.
Saturation is the intensity of the color. Less intensity creates a lighter,
white color. Value is the dimension of lightness/darkness. Lower values
create a darker color.
⩥ Feature Map. Answer: Show real world features represented by
cartographic objects. Used for navigation and reference maps. Also
called reference maps.
⩥ Thematic Map. Answer: A map of a particular subject matter or
theme. A thematic map usually visualizes properties of geographic
features that are not visible such as temperature, language or population.
It's best to use an equal area projection for a thematic map. Equal area
conic projections are used for the US, and equal area cylindrical
projections are used for the world.
⩥ Thematic Map Types. Answer: Choropleth Map
Dasymetric Map
Isarithmic or Isopleth Maps
Dot Density Map
Multivariate
Proportional Symbol
Graduated Symbols
, ⩥ Choropleth Map. Answer: A thematic map that uses shading, colors,
or patterns to show quantitative data about geographical areas. Each
color or pattern represents a range of values.
⩥ Dasymetric Map. Answer: Ancillary information is used to model
internal distribution of the phenomenon. A dasymetric map is just a
choropleth map where the areas have been divided into more areas using
another layer.
⩥ Isarithmic or Isopleth Maps. Answer: Maps with lines of equal value
are drawn (contour lines) or ranges of similar values are filled with
similar colors or patterns. Represents a continuos surface.
⩥ Dot Density Map. Answer: Shows distribution of quantitative
phenomena where values and locations are known. Dots are placed
where locations of variables are.
⩥ Multivariate Displays. Answer: More than 2 sets of data on a single
map
⩥ Proportional Symbol. Answer: Size of the symbol corresponds to the
magnitude of the mapped feature
⩥ Graduated symbol. Answer: The size of the symbol represents a range
of values
