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AP Human Geography Practice Quiz: The Internal Structure of Cities

Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026

Test your understanding with short quizzes. This quiz has 7 questions to check your progress.

Question 1 of 7

Which urban model describes a city as a series of rings expanding outward from a central business district, with different land uses in each ring?

All Questions (7)

Which urban model describes a city as a series of rings expanding outward from a central business district, with different land uses in each ring?

A) Hoyt sector model

B) Burgess concentric-zone model

C) Harris and Ullman multiple-nuclei model

D) Galactic city model

Correct Answer: B

The Burgess concentric-zone model, developed in the 1920s, is characterized by its ring-like structure. It posits that a city grows outward from a central area in a series of concentric rings, each with a distinct function and population.

The Hoyt sector model of urban structure differs from the Burgess concentric-zone model primarily by emphasizing the role of which of the following in shaping city growth?

A) Multiple commercial and industrial centers

B) The cost of land determined by distance from the center

C) Transportation corridors and high-income housing

D) The development of edge cities and suburban business parks

Correct Answer: C

The Hoyt sector model argues that cities do not grow in simple rings but in wedge-shaped sectors. These sectors often follow major transportation routes like roads, canals, or railways, and the location of high-income residential areas can pull the direction of city growth.

A city that developed with several independent centers of activity, such as an airport, a university, and a port, each attracting specific types of land use around them, is best explained by which model?

A) Bid-rent theory

B) Burgess concentric-zone model

C) Harris and Ullman multiple-nuclei model

D) Hoyt sector model

Correct Answer: C

The Harris and Ullman multiple-nuclei model suggests that a city's growth is not centered on a single core but on several distinct nodes. These nodes, like an airport or university, act as focal points for different activities and attract compatible land uses.

According to the bid-rent theory, which of the following land uses would be most willing to pay the highest rent to be located in the central business district (CBD)?

A) A large single-family residential home

B) A high-rise corporate headquarters

C) An extensive agricultural farm

D) A suburban shopping mall with a large parking lot

Correct Answer: B

Bid-rent theory explains that land value and rent decrease as distance from the CBD increases. Commercial activities, like a corporate headquarters, benefit most from a central, highly accessible location and can afford the highest rent, outbidding other land uses like residential or agriculture which require more space and less centrality.

The galactic city model is distinguished from earlier urban models by its focus on a decentralized landscape organized around which of the following?

A) A single, dominant central business district

B) A network of edge cities and transportation corridors

C) Wedge-shaped sectors radiating from the center

D) A series of concentric rings of development

Correct Answer: B

The galactic city model (or peripheral model) describes the modern, post-industrial city where functions of the CBD have decentralized to suburban locations. These new hubs, known as edge cities, are typically located along major highways and beltways, creating a complex, polycentric urban form.

Urban models for cities in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa often show significant differences from classic North American models. A common feature in these models, such as the Latin American City Model, is the presence of:

A) A commercial spine and elite residential sector extending from the CBD.

B) A completely decentralized structure with no identifiable city center.

C) Industrial zones located in the outermost ring of the city.

D) Low-income housing concentrated exclusively in the city core.

Correct Answer: A

The Latin American City Model, for example, features a prominent commercial spine extending from the central market and plaza. This spine is flanked by an elite residential sector, a pattern that reflects historical colonial development and modern investment, which is distinct from the patterns shown in the Burgess or Hoyt models.

The Burgess, Hoyt, and Harris-Ullman models were all developed to explain the internal structure of cities in which region?

A) Southeast Asia

B) Europe

C) North America

D) Africa

Correct Answer: C

The concentric-zone, sector, and multiple-nuclei models are considered the 'classic' models of urban structure. They were all based on observations of cities in North America (specifically Chicago for Burgess and Hoyt) during the early to mid-20th century and reflect the social and economic conditions of that time and place.