Spot elevation on topo maps is characterized as which of the following?

Spot elevation on topo maps is characterized as which of the following?

• A. Less accurate than bench marks but more accurate than contour lines
• B. More accurate than bench marks
• C. Only used for coastal areas
• D. Not used in topo maps

Answer: (A)

Spot elevation gives the exact height at a specific point on a topo map, shown as a dot with the elevation value. Bench marks are fixed reference points whose elevations are determined by precise surveying and tied to a datum, making them the most accurate source on the map. Contour lines represent elevation indirectly; you interpolate the height between lines, so the exact value at a single point is less certain. Therefore, a spot elevation is more precise than reading off contour-line interpolation but not as precise as a benchmark. Spot elevations appear wherever an exact height at a specific point is useful, not just in coastal areas.