7. Module: Vector Analysis

Now that you have edited a few features, you must want to know what else one can do with them. Having features with attributes is nice, but when all is said and done, this doesn’t really tell you anything that a normal, non-GIS map can’t.

The key advantage of a GIS is this: a GIS can answer questions.

For the next three modules, we’ll endeavor to answer a research question using GIS functions. For example, you are an estate agent and you are looking for a residential property in Swellendam for clients who have the following criteria:

  1. It needs to be in Swellendam.
  2. It must be within reasonable driving distance of a school (say 1km).
  3. It must be more than 100m squared in size.
  4. Closer than 50m to a main road.
  5. Closer than 500m to a restaurant.

Within the next few modules, we’ll harness the power of GIS analysis tools to locate suitable farm properties for this new residential development.