The main purpose of these maps is to show where things are located. The Virginia state highway map is an excellent example. Thematic maps . Pin-point precision is not necessary because you wouldn't use this type of map to actually locate a given place or even tell precisely what was the characteristic of a given place with respect to the phenomenon in question. These maps tend to be generalizations of the distribution of some facet of physical or cultural geography of interest to the map's author.
Maps are a graphic means of communication .
As such they tell stories. A good map tells its story concisely and clearly. It is designed with its reader in mind as well as its message. It uses conventional symbols as its language. Different types of phenomena or data require different mapping techniques.