Which feature on a sketch provides the means to interpret symbols?

• A. Legend/Key
• B. Scale
• C. Date
• D. Weather Conditions

Answer: (A)

The legend (or key) on a sketch is the translator that tells you what each symbol represents. On crime scene or CSI sketches, symbols are used to mark things like evidence locations, bone or fingerprint spots, entry points, or camera positions. The legend lists every symbol and its meaning, so anyone reading the diagram can accurately interpret what they’re looking at rather than guessing. Without it, the marks on the drawing would be ambiguous and open to misinterpretation.

Scale, by contrast, shows how large things are relative to each other, not what the symbols mean. The date notes when the sketch was made or when the scene was processed, which is about timing. Weather conditions might be included for context, but they don’t explain symbol meanings. So the legend or key best serves the purpose of interpreting symbols.