Map Projection

Base on the exercise about making six maps with different projections (two conformal, two equidistant and two equal area), we can imply that the significance in having map projections is that they are able to reshape a three dimensional earth map into two dimensional map. Map projections transforms the spherical coordinates of a three dimensional map which has the x, y and z coordinates into two dimensional map that will have the x and y coordinates. For example, in this exercise, we made six different maps with different projections. The equal area and the conformal map projections in this case are the most common projections. Therefore, both projections are good in preserving the area and shape of the maps within its features. However, despite the significance in map projections, there are still perils within the usage of map projections.

           

One of the dangers in using map projections is that every map projections have different measurements and angles in them. For example, when you’re trying to measure a country (e.g. South America) for a history project, you can find a map with an equal area projection or you can find a map that is conformal. Therefore, when comparing these two maps with two different projections, it can result in having different measurements among them. Just by looking at the maps, you will see that the same country will have different shapes in the map, which can cause in having different measurements or angles in them. Another example for this will be the three maps from the exercise that was created, the Mercator (conformal) projection, Bonne (equal area) projection, and the two point equidistant projection. When these three were measured in the Geodesic line measurement, all three had different segment and length measurements. Therefore, we can conclude that when we’re doing a research or when someone is not well informed about different map projections, we can gather wrong information that might also result in having the wrong measurement for a certain map.

            

Despite its perils, the potential of having map projections and knowing more about map projections is that when we are measuring the distances of one place to another for example in the maps created, Washington D.C. to Kabul, we can get an accurate measurement of the distances from these two places. Though a map creator should know which type of projection should be used in creating their maps because not all projection can preserve all the properties of a three dimensional map into one. However, that’s why different map projections were created, so that the different properties of a three dimensional map can be shown in different projections. For example, a conformal projection can maintain true directions, but cannot provide for accurate area and distance. An equal area projection on the other hand, can provide accurate area calculations, but has inaccurate shapes. Therefore, the potential in knowing different map projections is that, it can give you different kinds of measurements, and information in them. Though you will have to be well informed about the different projections that exist or else you will not be able to distinguish what projections and what the maps’ measurements are and its accurate data.

           

The significance in having map projections is that it can help people measure the area, distances and shapes of a three dimensional map because map projections help transform three dimensional maps into two dimensional maps. This can also lead to the map projections’ potential in helping people gather accurate distance and area measurements in different kinds of map projections. However, there are perils in place of these potentials in using map projections. Without enough knowledge about map projections, no matter how accurate the measurements it can give you, if you’re not well informed, then you wouldn’t be able to distinguish the accurate measurements and the type of projections you are exactly looking at. Before looking at a map, or before making a map, you should be able to distinguish what projections the map that you’re making should have or what kind of projection does the map you’re looking at have. Otherwise, map projections are good tools in helping people gather accurate measurements of a map.