Geography
Geography on the MTEL combines physical and human geography: map skills, climate and landforms, population and migration, cultural regions, and economic activity. Questions often require connecting a physical process to a human consequence.
Core concepts
- Latitude vs. longitude: latitude measures distance north or south of the equator and shapes climate; longitude measures east or west and underlies time zones.
- Map scale: a scale of 1:50,000 means one unit on the map equals 50,000 of the same units on the ground.
- Push–pull migration: push factors drive people away (conflict, drought); pull factors attract them (jobs, safety).
- Climate vs. weather: climate is long-term pattern; weather is short-term condition.
Worked example
An east–west mountain range has prevailing winds from the west. Explain why the western slope is wet and the eastern slope is dry. Reasoning: moist air rises over the western slope, cools, condenses, and releases precipitation. As the air descends the eastern slope, it warms and its relative humidity drops, creating a rain shadow. The answer must name the sequence-forced ascent, cooling, condensation, precipitation, descent, warming-not merely say 'mountains block rain.' A human consequence may include irrigation agriculture or sparse settlement on the leeward side.
Traps that cost marks
- Swapping latitude and longitude.
- Treating a map projection as a neutral window; all projections distort area, shape, distance, or direction.
- Confusing weather with climate.
- Assuming all deserts are hot; latitude, elevation, and rain shadow also matter.
- Forgetting to convert scale units, such as centimeters to kilometers.