Central Place Theory explains settlement patterns based on which assumptions and outcomes?

• A. A uniform plane with hexagonal service areas and equal access to goods; consumers travel to central places; explains size and spacing of towns.
• B. A uniform plane with circular service areas and varying access to goods; explains clustering of settlements.
• C. A rough terrain model with irregular service areas; explains distribution of natural resources.
• D. A hierarchical market network with diverse service areas; explains the size and spacing of settlements.

Answer: (A)

Central Place Theory is built on the idea that settlements form a regular pattern on a uniform landscape, driven by how far people will travel to access goods. The best match is the view that central places sit on a uniform plane with hexagonal service areas, reflecting equal access to goods. In this setup, people travel to the nearest central place to obtain what they need, so the size and reach of each center are tied to the distance people are willing to travel and the range of goods offered. Because the market areas are hexagonal, each central place has a roughly equal hinterland, which leads to a predictable arrangement: larger towns are spaced farther apart and provide higher-order goods, while smaller settlements fill in the gaps. This combination of uniform accessibility and a hexagonal tessellation is what produces the characteristic size and spacing of settlements described by the theory.