Contours Worksheet Cross Sections A cross section shows you the side view or profile view of a landform. This is unlike a map which shows you the view from above. Cross sections are useful as they allow you to know the shapes of hills, mountains, valleys and other features of the landscape. How to draw a cross section A. To draw a cross section you need a vertical scale. In the diagram the vertical scale is ½ centimeter to 100 metres. This is represented by a series of parallel horizontal lines drawn at ½ centimeter apart. Then number the lines corresponding to the contour lines given on the map. B. Place a neatly folded paper along the line given, in this case AB. The height of each contour line should be written below each mark.