GISP EXAM V2
1. Dynamic Modeling: Iterative, sets of initial conditions, apply transformations toobtain a
series of predictions at time intervals. According to Goodchild.
2. Based on Purpose Descriptive: Passive, description of the study area prescriptive - active,
imposing best solution. According to DeMers.
3. Based on Methodology Stochastic: Based on statistical probabilities deterministic - based
on known functional linkages and interactions. According to DeMers.
4. Based on Logic Inductive: General models based on individual data deductive
- from general to specific using known factors and relationships. According toDeMers.
5. Vector: Coordinate based data model that represents points, lines, polygons.
6. Points: Discrete locations on the ground, represented by a coordinate pair.
7. Lines: Linear features, such as rivers, roads, and transmission cables. Com-posed of
vertices, begin and end at vertices, represented by an ordered list of vertices.
8. Polygons: Form bounded areas, such as islands, land masses, and water features.
Composed of nodes and vertices, the start node is the same as the endnode.
9. Attributes: Associated with vector data.
10. Raster: Composed of rectangular arrays of regularly spaced square grid cells and each
cell has a value (attribute). Examples include: A - examples, include soil pH, elevation,
salinity, of a water body; B - single or multiple bands; C - each cell has1 attribute value; D -
raster coordinates are stored by ordering the matrix.
11. Pixel: Smallest resolvable piece of scanned image - pixel is always a cell but acell is not
always a pixel.
12. Geodatabase: Object oriented spatial model (feature classes, feature datasets,non-spatial
tables, topology, relationship classes, geometric networks).
13. Components of a Geodatabase: A. Basic components include feature classes,feature
datasets, non-spatial tables; B. Complex components include topology, relationship classes,
geometric networks.
14. Relationship Classes: Model real world relationships that exist between ob-jects such as
parcels and buildings.
15. Grid: Parallel and perpendicular lines for reference as a map projection orcoordinate
system.
16. Trinagulated Irregular Network (TIN): Portions vector data into contiguous, nooverlapping
triangles. Create Delaunay triangles.
17. Advantages of TIN: Small areas with high precision elevation data. More effi-cient
storage than DEM or contour lines.
,18. Disadvantages of TIN: Requires very accurate data source and costs are ex-pensive, TIN
production and use are very computer intensive).
19. Topological: Features need to be connected using specific rules.
20. Hierarchical: Database that stores related information in a tree like structure.Records can
be traced to parent records to a root record.
21. Network: Collection of topologically connected network elements (edges, junc-tions,
turns). Each element is associated with a collection of network attributes.
22. Object Oriented: Data management structure stores data as objects (classes) instead of
rows and tables as a relational database. Examples include SQL Server,Oracle, PostgreSQL.
23. 1 to 1 Relationship: Each object of the origin table can be related to 0 or 1 object of the
destination table.
24. 1 to Many Relationship: Each object in the origin table can be related to themultiple
objects in the destination table.
25. Many to Many Relationship: Multiple objects of the origin table can be relatedto multiple
objects of the destination table.
26. Georeferencing: Associating a map (such as a pdf without spatial information) or image
(such as an aerial image without spatial information) with spatial locations.
27. Control Points: Consisting of multiple points, points come in pairs that match thespatial
location with a point on an unreferenced image or map.
28. Spatial Reference System (SRS) or Coordinate Reference System (CRS): Acoordinate-
based local, regional or global system used to locate geographical entities.
29. International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS): It's a three-dimensional coordinate
system with a well defined origin (the center of mass of the Earth) andthree orthogonal
coordinate axes (X, Y, Z).
30. Map Projection: Transforming coordinates from a curved earth to a flat map.
31. Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM): A global coordinate system - UTM zonesare 6
degrees.
32. Horizontal Datum: Model of the Earth as a spheroid (2 components, referenceellipsis
and a set of survey points both the shape of the spheroid and its position relative to the Earth).
33. Vertical Datum: Reference point for elevations of surfaces and features on theEarth -
could be based on tidal, seas levels, gravimetric, based on a geoid.
34. NAVD88: Gravity based geodetic datum in North America.
35. Geodetic Datum: Set of control whose geometric relationships are known,either through
measurement or calculation.
36. WGS - World Geodetic System: Reference coordinate system used by theGlobal
, Positioning System (GPS).
37. SRID Integer: Spatial reference system ID numbers, including EPSG codesdefined by the
International Association of Oil and Gas Producers.
38. 4 Distortions: Distance, Direction, Shape, Area
39. Mercator Projection: Preserves shape and direction, area gets distorted -projecting Earth
onto a cylinder tangent to a meridian.
40. Azimuthal Equidistant: Planar (tangent) - used for air route distances - dis- tances
measured from the center are true - distortion of other properties increasesaway from the
center point.
41. Cylindrical Equal - Area Projections: Preserves area, shape and distance gets distorted
near the upper and lower regions of the map - straight meridians andparallels - meridians are
equally spaced and the parallels are unequally spaced.
42. Conic Projections: Preserves directions and areas in limited areas - distortsdistances and
scale except along standard parallels - generated by projecting a spherical surface onto a cone.
43. Latitude Projection: Low-latitude areas (near equator) use a conical projection,Polar
regions use a azimuthal planar projection.
44. Extent Projection: Broad in East-West (e.g., the US) use a conical projection;Broad in
North-South ( e.g., Africa) use a transverse-case cylindrical projection.
45. Thematic Projection: If you are doing an analysis that compares differentvalues in
different locations, typically an equal-area projection will be used.
46. Discrete Features: A feature that has a definable boundary, begins and ends,for example a
highway or lake.
47. Continuous Phenomena: Each location is a measure of something, for exam- ple elevation.
A. Measure of concentration level. B. Measure of a value in terms of a fixed point (like
elevation in terms of sea level).
48. Geoid: The shape that the surface of the oceans would take under the influenceof Earth's
gravitation and rotation alone, in the absence of other influences such aswinds and tides - used
to reference heights, by registering ocean's water level at coastal places using tide gauges -
this is how the mean sea level is determined.
49. Reference Ellipsoid: A mathematically defined surface that approximates thegeoid, the
truer figure of the Earth, or other planetary body.
50. Oblate Ellipsoid: Fits the geoid to a first order approximation - formed when anellipse is
rotated about its minor axis.
51. Sphere: As can be seen from the dimensions of the Earth Ellipsoid, the semi-major axis
A and the semi-minor axis B differ only by a bit more the 21kilometers.
52. First (direct) Geodetic Problem: Given a point ( in terms of its coordinates) andthe direction
1. Dynamic Modeling: Iterative, sets of initial conditions, apply transformations toobtain a
series of predictions at time intervals. According to Goodchild.
2. Based on Purpose Descriptive: Passive, description of the study area prescriptive - active,
imposing best solution. According to DeMers.
3. Based on Methodology Stochastic: Based on statistical probabilities deterministic - based
on known functional linkages and interactions. According to DeMers.
4. Based on Logic Inductive: General models based on individual data deductive
- from general to specific using known factors and relationships. According toDeMers.
5. Vector: Coordinate based data model that represents points, lines, polygons.
6. Points: Discrete locations on the ground, represented by a coordinate pair.
7. Lines: Linear features, such as rivers, roads, and transmission cables. Com-posed of
vertices, begin and end at vertices, represented by an ordered list of vertices.
8. Polygons: Form bounded areas, such as islands, land masses, and water features.
Composed of nodes and vertices, the start node is the same as the endnode.
9. Attributes: Associated with vector data.
10. Raster: Composed of rectangular arrays of regularly spaced square grid cells and each
cell has a value (attribute). Examples include: A - examples, include soil pH, elevation,
salinity, of a water body; B - single or multiple bands; C - each cell has1 attribute value; D -
raster coordinates are stored by ordering the matrix.
11. Pixel: Smallest resolvable piece of scanned image - pixel is always a cell but acell is not
always a pixel.
12. Geodatabase: Object oriented spatial model (feature classes, feature datasets,non-spatial
tables, topology, relationship classes, geometric networks).
13. Components of a Geodatabase: A. Basic components include feature classes,feature
datasets, non-spatial tables; B. Complex components include topology, relationship classes,
geometric networks.
14. Relationship Classes: Model real world relationships that exist between ob-jects such as
parcels and buildings.
15. Grid: Parallel and perpendicular lines for reference as a map projection orcoordinate
system.
16. Trinagulated Irregular Network (TIN): Portions vector data into contiguous, nooverlapping
triangles. Create Delaunay triangles.
17. Advantages of TIN: Small areas with high precision elevation data. More effi-cient
storage than DEM or contour lines.
,18. Disadvantages of TIN: Requires very accurate data source and costs are ex-pensive, TIN
production and use are very computer intensive).
19. Topological: Features need to be connected using specific rules.
20. Hierarchical: Database that stores related information in a tree like structure.Records can
be traced to parent records to a root record.
21. Network: Collection of topologically connected network elements (edges, junc-tions,
turns). Each element is associated with a collection of network attributes.
22. Object Oriented: Data management structure stores data as objects (classes) instead of
rows and tables as a relational database. Examples include SQL Server,Oracle, PostgreSQL.
23. 1 to 1 Relationship: Each object of the origin table can be related to 0 or 1 object of the
destination table.
24. 1 to Many Relationship: Each object in the origin table can be related to themultiple
objects in the destination table.
25. Many to Many Relationship: Multiple objects of the origin table can be relatedto multiple
objects of the destination table.
26. Georeferencing: Associating a map (such as a pdf without spatial information) or image
(such as an aerial image without spatial information) with spatial locations.
27. Control Points: Consisting of multiple points, points come in pairs that match thespatial
location with a point on an unreferenced image or map.
28. Spatial Reference System (SRS) or Coordinate Reference System (CRS): Acoordinate-
based local, regional or global system used to locate geographical entities.
29. International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS): It's a three-dimensional coordinate
system with a well defined origin (the center of mass of the Earth) andthree orthogonal
coordinate axes (X, Y, Z).
30. Map Projection: Transforming coordinates from a curved earth to a flat map.
31. Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM): A global coordinate system - UTM zonesare 6
degrees.
32. Horizontal Datum: Model of the Earth as a spheroid (2 components, referenceellipsis
and a set of survey points both the shape of the spheroid and its position relative to the Earth).
33. Vertical Datum: Reference point for elevations of surfaces and features on theEarth -
could be based on tidal, seas levels, gravimetric, based on a geoid.
34. NAVD88: Gravity based geodetic datum in North America.
35. Geodetic Datum: Set of control whose geometric relationships are known,either through
measurement or calculation.
36. WGS - World Geodetic System: Reference coordinate system used by theGlobal
, Positioning System (GPS).
37. SRID Integer: Spatial reference system ID numbers, including EPSG codesdefined by the
International Association of Oil and Gas Producers.
38. 4 Distortions: Distance, Direction, Shape, Area
39. Mercator Projection: Preserves shape and direction, area gets distorted -projecting Earth
onto a cylinder tangent to a meridian.
40. Azimuthal Equidistant: Planar (tangent) - used for air route distances - dis- tances
measured from the center are true - distortion of other properties increasesaway from the
center point.
41. Cylindrical Equal - Area Projections: Preserves area, shape and distance gets distorted
near the upper and lower regions of the map - straight meridians andparallels - meridians are
equally spaced and the parallels are unequally spaced.
42. Conic Projections: Preserves directions and areas in limited areas - distortsdistances and
scale except along standard parallels - generated by projecting a spherical surface onto a cone.
43. Latitude Projection: Low-latitude areas (near equator) use a conical projection,Polar
regions use a azimuthal planar projection.
44. Extent Projection: Broad in East-West (e.g., the US) use a conical projection;Broad in
North-South ( e.g., Africa) use a transverse-case cylindrical projection.
45. Thematic Projection: If you are doing an analysis that compares differentvalues in
different locations, typically an equal-area projection will be used.
46. Discrete Features: A feature that has a definable boundary, begins and ends,for example a
highway or lake.
47. Continuous Phenomena: Each location is a measure of something, for exam- ple elevation.
A. Measure of concentration level. B. Measure of a value in terms of a fixed point (like
elevation in terms of sea level).
48. Geoid: The shape that the surface of the oceans would take under the influenceof Earth's
gravitation and rotation alone, in the absence of other influences such aswinds and tides - used
to reference heights, by registering ocean's water level at coastal places using tide gauges -
this is how the mean sea level is determined.
49. Reference Ellipsoid: A mathematically defined surface that approximates thegeoid, the
truer figure of the Earth, or other planetary body.
50. Oblate Ellipsoid: Fits the geoid to a first order approximation - formed when anellipse is
rotated about its minor axis.
51. Sphere: As can be seen from the dimensions of the Earth Ellipsoid, the semi-major axis
A and the semi-minor axis B differ only by a bit more the 21kilometers.
52. First (direct) Geodetic Problem: Given a point ( in terms of its coordinates) andthe direction
