Class VI Social Science • Exploring Society

Q1 What is a map and how do we use it? What are its main components? (Page 7)

ANSWER

A map is a representation or drawing of an area of the Earth on a flat surface, whether small (like a village) or large (like a country or the whole world), drawn at a specific scale. Maps are viewed from above and help us understand geography, find directions, and locate places.

We use different types of maps for different purposes:

• Physical Maps — show natural features like mountains, rivers, oceans, and plains.
• Political Maps — show countries, states, cities, boundaries, and capitals.
• Thematic Maps — show specific information like rainfall, population, road networks, etc.

The three main components of a map are:

• Distance (Scale) — shows the ratio between a distance on the map and the actual distance on the ground.
• Direction — indicated by cardinal directions (North, East, South, West) and intermediate directions (NE, SE, SW, NW).
• Symbols — standardized signs used to represent features like buildings, roads, rivers, temples, railways, etc.

Q2 What are coordinates? How can latitude and longitude be used to mark any location on the Earth? (Page 7)

ANSWER

Coordinates are two numbers (or sometimes a letter and a number, like on a chess board) that locate a specific point on a grid.

On a map, latitudes and longitudes are the two coordinates of a place. They provide a systematic network of lines (called grid lines) upon which the position of various surface features of the Earth can be represented, located, and identified.

• Latitudes are horizontal lines that measure distance North and South of the Equator (0° to 90°N or 90°S).
• Longitudes are vertical lines that measure distance East or West of the Prime Meridian (0° to 180°E or 180°W).

There exists only one unique point where a particular latitude and longitude intersect. By combining these two coordinates and identifying their point of intersection, we can mark and locate any location on the Earth.

Q3 How are local time and standard time related to longitude? (Page 7)

ANSWER

Both local time and standard time are related to longitude because the Earth rotates from West to East, and different longitudes receive sunlight at different times.

Local Time: This is the time based on the position of the sun at a specific place. It changes with longitude — as you move East, time is ahead, and as you move West, time falls behind. The time difference is 4 minutes for every 1° of longitude.

Standard Time: This is a uniform time used across a country or region to avoid confusion caused by different local times. It is set based on a central meridian of the country. For example, India\\\'s Standard Time (IST) is based on the 82½°E longitude passing through Mirzapur (near Allahabad).

1 On the map in Fig. 1.1 — Mark the hospital. What is the meaning of blue coloured areas? Which is farther from the railway station? (Pages 8–9)

ANSWER

The hospital can be identified on the map using the standard hospital symbol (a cross or \\\'H\\\' mark).

The blue coloured areas on the map represent water bodies such as lakes, ponds, rivers, or streams.

The public garden is farther away from the railway station compared to the school and the Nagar Panchayat.

2 Draw a simple map of a school\\\'s playground (rectangle: 40 m × 30 m) on a scale of 1 cm = 10 m. Also measure the diagonal. (Page 10)

ANSWER

Using the scale 1 cm = 10 m:

Actual Measurement	Map Measurement
Length = 40 m	4 cm on the map
Width = 30 m	3 cm on the map
Diagonal on map	5 cm → Real = 50 metres

Draw a rectangle of 4 cm × 3 cm on your notebook using a ruler. The diagonal measures 5 cm, which equals 50 metres in real life.

3 Consider the map of the small city. Identify the correct and incorrect statements. (Page 11)

ANSWER

4 Note down approximate latitude and longitude values for Mumbai, Kolkata, Singapore, and Paris. (Page 15)

ANSWER

City	Latitude	Longitude
Mumbai	19°N	73°E
Kolkata	22°N	88°E
Singapore	1°N	104°E
Paris	49°N	2°E

5 Two friends in Porbandar (Gujarat) and Tinsukia (Assam) are speaking on the phone. It\\\'s dark in Assam but daylight in Gujarat. Explain why. Calculate the time difference. (Page 21)

ANSWER

Explanation: There is a difference of approximately 30° of longitude between Porbandar (Gujarat, in the west) and Tinsukia (Assam, in the northeast). Since the Earth rotates from West to East, the sun rises and sets earlier in the East (Tinsukia) than in the West (Porbandar). Although both cities follow the same IST, their local times are different.

Calculation:

Tinsukia is 30° East of Porbandar.
Time difference = 30° × 4 minutes per degree = 120 minutes = 2 hours.

So when the sun sets in Tinsukia, it is still daylight in Porbandar because the local time in Porbandar is 2 hours behind Tinsukia.

6 Source-Based Questions — India\\\'s own Prime Meridian (Page 17)

ANSWER

Question	Answer
(i) Is Greenwich the 1st prime meridian?	No, it is not the first prime meridian.
(ii) What was India\\\'s prime meridian centuries ago?	Madhya Rekha (or \\\"Middle Line\\\").
(iii) It passed through which old city?	Ujjayini (today\\\'s Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh).
(iv) Why was this meridian famous?	It was a reference for calculations in all Indian astronomical texts.
(v) Name the famous astronomer who lived there 1500 years ago.	Varahamihira.

7 Use the Gujarat–Assam example to explain the difference between local time and standard time. (Page 21)

ANSWER

Local Time is based on the local meridian passing through a specific place. Places on the same meridian (North-South) have the same local time, but places East or West will have different local times. It varies by 4 minutes for every 1° of longitude.

Standard Time is the local time of one selected meridian which is made valid for the whole country. In India, the Standard Meridian is 82½°E, and time on it is called Indian Standard Time (IST).

While the IST in both Gujarat (Porbandar) and Assam (Tinsukia) is the same at any given moment, the local time in Tinsukia is about 2 hours ahead of Porbandar. That is why the sun sets earlier in Tinsukia than in Porbandar, even though both follow the same IST.

8 Do all countries have one standard time? Give examples of countries with more than one time zone. (Page 21)

ANSWER

No, not all countries have one standard time.

• Russia has 11 time zones — the most of any country.
• USA has 6 time zones.

These countries have more than one time zone because of their large longitudinal extent. Since time changes with longitude, countries that stretch over many degrees of longitude need multiple time zones.

Q1 Taking the scale to be 2.5 cm = 500 km, calculate the real distance from the estuary of the Narmada River to the estuary of the Ganga River.

ANSWER

On the map, the distance between the two estuaries measures approximately 10 cm.

Calculation: If 2.5 cm = 500 km, then 10 cm = (500 × 10) ÷ 2.5 = 2,000 km.

The real distance from the Narmada estuary to the Ganga estuary is approximately 2,000 km.

Q2 Why is it 5:30 pm in India when it is 12 pm or noon in London?

ANSWER

It is 5:30 pm in India when it is 12 noon in London because:

• London is located at 0° longitude (the Prime Meridian / Greenwich).
• India\\\'s Standard Meridian is at 82½°E longitude.
• India is to the East of London, so time in India is ahead.
• Time difference = 4 minutes for every 1° of longitude towards East.

Calculation: 82½° × 4 minutes = 330 minutes = 5 hours 30 minutes.

Therefore, when it is 12:00 noon in London, it is 12:00 + 5:30 = 5:30 PM in India.

Q3 Why do we need symbols and colours in the map?

ANSWER

We need symbols and colours on a map because:

• It is not possible to draw actual features of the Earth on a small map, so symbols are used as shorthand to represent different features like buildings, roads, rivers, temples, etc.
• Colours help distinguish different areas — blue for water bodies, green for forests, brown for mountains, yellow for plains.
• They make maps easier to read, more organised, and universally understandable, even across different languages.
• They allow a lot of information to be shown in a small space without clutter.

Q4 Find out what you have in the eight directions from your home or school.

ANSWER

(Activity-based — Sample answer)

Direction	Landmark / Place
North	Main Market
North-East	Government Hospital
East	Railway Station
South-East	City Park
South	Temple
South-West	Bus Stand
West	Post Office
North-West	School

Q5 What is the difference between local time and standard time? Write an answer in 100 to 150 words.

ANSWER

Both local time and standard time are based on meridians of longitude, but they differ in scope and application.

Local Time is the time at a specific place, determined by the position of the sun. It is based on the local meridian passing through that place. Places on the same meridian will have the same local time, but places lying East or West will have different local times. The time changes by 4 minutes for every 1° of longitude.

Standard Time is the local time of a selected central meridian that is used as the official time for an entire country or region. This meridian is called the Standard Meridian. For example, India\\\'s Standard Meridian is 82½°E, and the time on it is called Indian Standard Time (IST). This eliminates confusion that would arise if every city followed its own local time.

Q6 Delhi\\\'s and Bengaluru\\\'s latitudes are 29°N and 13°N; their longitudes are almost the same, 77°E. How much will be the difference in local time between the two cities?

ANSWER

There will be no difference in the local time between Delhi and Bengaluru.

Reason: Both cities lie on almost the same longitude (77°E). Since local time depends on longitude (not latitude), and their longitudes are the same, their local time will be identical.

Q7 Mark the following statements as True or False.

ANSWER

Q8 Solve the crossword puzzle.

ANSWER

Across:

No.	Clue	Answer
1	Lets you squeeze a huge area into your map	SCALE
4	A convenient sphere	GLOBE
5	The longest parallel of latitude	EQUATOR
6	The place the Prime Meridian is attached to	GREENWICH
8	So convenient to find your way	MAP
10	A measure of the distance from the Equator	LATITUDE

Down:

No.	Clue	Answer
2	A measure of the distance from the Prime Meridian	LONGITUDE
3	These two together allow us to locate a place	COORDINATES
6	What latitudes and longitudes together create	GRID
7	The time we all follow in India	IST
9	These two are poles apart	POLES
11	An abbreviation for a line across which date changes	IDL