In cartography, which geometry best represents a road network at a mapping scale?

• A. Points
• B. Lines
• C. Polygons
• D. Surfaces

Answer: (B)

Roads are elongated features whose essential information is their path and how they connect to other roads. Representing them as lines (polylines) captures their true shape, length, and connectivity across the map without implying they occupy area. Points would only mark locations or junctions and would miss the actual route; polygons or surfaces would suggest an area or region, which isn’t appropriate for a road’s geometry. Lines also support annotating attributes such as name, type, and speed, and they can be generalized to fit the map scale while preserving network topology for routing and analysis. So, lines best express a road network at mapping scale.