Solved Part 5: Identify types of distortion on map | Chegg.com - Free Printable

Here is the complete solution to the assignment, with clear explanations for each question.

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11. Compare the size of Greenland to Africa on a globe. Which has more land area?

✔ Answer: Africa has significantly more land area than Greenland.

Explanation:
On a globe (which is a true 3D representation of Earth), you can see that Africa is a massive continent, while Greenland is much smaller. In reality:
- Africa’s area: ~30.37 million km²
- Greenland’s area: ~2.166 million km²

So, Africa is about 14 times larger than Greenland. The common misconception that Greenland is nearly as big as Africa comes from the Mercator projection (Map A), which severely distorts size near the poles.

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12. Complete the table comparing Maps A and B:

| Map | Property Preserved (Shape or Size) | Property Distorted (Shape or Size) | Map Projection (Conformal or Equivalent) |
|-----|------------------------------------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| A (Mercator) | Shape | Size | Conformal |
| B (Eckert) | Size | Shape | Equivalent |

Explanation:

- Map A (Mercator Projection):
- *Preserves Shape*: This is a conformal projection. It maintains accurate angles and local shapes — essential for navigation.
- *Distorts Size*: Especially near the poles. Greenland appears huge, almost the size of Africa, when in reality it’s tiny compared to Africa.
- → Therefore, it is Conformal.

- Map B (Eckert Projection):
- *Preserves Size*: This is an equal-area (equivalent) projection. Areas are shown in correct proportion to each other. Africa and Greenland appear in their true relative sizes.
- *Distorts Shape*: Continents are stretched or squished to maintain area accuracy. For example, Antarctica is flattened, and shapes of countries are not perfectly preserved.
- → Therefore, it is Equivalent.

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13. If I wanted to measure the extent of the Tropical Rainforest in Africa to the extent of the Tropical Rainforest in South America, which projection would I use?

✔ Answer: Use Map B (Eckert / Equivalent projection).

Explanation:
To accurately compare areas (like the extent of rainforests), you need a map that preserves size. An equal-area (equivalent) projection ensures that regions are shown in their true proportional sizes. Using a conformal projection like Mercator would give misleading results — for example, making high-latitude areas look larger than they are, which could distort your comparison.

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14. If I wanted a general reference world map, which projection would I use?

✔ Answer: Use Map A (Mercator / Conformal projection).

Explanation:
A “general reference world map” typically means a map used for everyday purposes — such as in atlases, classrooms, or online maps (like Google Maps for navigation). These prioritize shape and direction over accurate size. The Mercator projection is widely used because:
- It preserves local shapes and angles (good for navigation).
- It shows straight lines as rhumb lines (useful for sailing/flight paths).
- It’s familiar and easy to read.

While it distorts size (especially near poles), for general reference — where exact area comparisons aren’t critical — Mercator is acceptable and commonly preferred.

> ⚠️ Note: Some modern general-purpose maps now use compromise projections (like Robinson or Winkel Tripel) that balance shape and size distortion. But among the two given options, Mercator (Map A) is the standard choice for general reference due to its familiarity and shape preservation.

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✔ Final Summary:

- Q11: Africa has far more land area than Greenland.
- Q12:
- Map A (Mercator): Preserves Shape → Distorts Size → Conformal
- Map B (Eckert): Preserves Size → Distorts Shape → Equivalent
- Q13: Use Map B (Eckert) to compare areas accurately.
- Q14: Use Map A (Mercator) for general reference due to shape/direction preservation.

Let me know if you’d like visual comparisons or further clarification!