The Ternary Diagram in Geography
For the classification of a large number of Indian towns in the 1961 census, the Ternary Diagram was considered the most suitable method.
The ternary diagram is a triangle, showing the influence of three variables.
The diagram is made up of an equilateral triangle, the 3 sides of which form
three scales, graduated 0-100%, so that each apex, forms zero of one scale and
100 of the other. It can be used for displaying any kind of information, which
consists of three parts (expressed in %’s ) and the sum total of which is 100
%.
Mitra for the first time used the ternary diagram for
functional classification of towns in the 1961 census. This method of
classification is based on the concept of the dominant functions of a city.
Mitra also divided the triangle into six sub-triangles, representing different combinations. These sub-triangles were further divided into four parts by three circles with a center at the middle of the triangle (with 33.3% of each group) and radii equal to
Any point within the first circle would show a highly
balanced composition of the 3 variables. Any point within the second circle would
mean that the highest variable is moderately balanced and the remaining two
are moderate. Any point within the third circle means that the highest
variable is moderately accentuated and the other two are low. Any point, outside
the third circle, means that the two functions are moderate & the remaining
one is very low.
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