Esri Pro Associate Certification Exam
Questions and Answers 100% Pass Latest
Update 2025/2026
Why can getting points from a GPS into ArcGIS be problematic?
Poor connection - hardware and software issues; different
companies/products/versions
Difficult to find the specified datum/projection
What is remote sensing? Give examples.
Collecting information from a distance; ex. photographs or radar/LiDAR. Typically
satellite or air plane. Offer great detail over a continuous surface
How is remote sensing imagery stored?
Great detail = large file sizes. Stored using raster data models - typically, three
rasters superimposed together to get color (one each for Red, Green, and Blue
value: RGB)
How can we pull information from remote sensing?
Can often be detected by the human eye and then digitized or classified based on
type; but is very time consuming and expensive. Plus, humans can make mistakes.
So we increasingly use computers to pull out the information correctly.
Computers use automatic processing, being trained to write rules to automatically
pull out information. This is hugely beneficial for large datasets. Not ideal for
small areas.
What is artificial intelligence?
Show computer what to look for and it figures it out; E.g. cancer on a brain scan,
gentrification on street view. Cutting edge of computer technology - but humans
,are unsure of how it actually works. Computer is literally thinking for itself
(training itself). Huge potential moving forward - perhaps someday replace all
humans
What is LiDAR?
Light Detection and Ranging - similar to SONAR, but uses laser rather than sound
waves. Device sends out a laser pulse, and records how long it takes for it to
bounce off surface and return to detector. Benefits: Highly Accurate; can
penetrate foliage
How are drones used in RS and what is their benefit
Similar to RS from air photos or satellite. However, much cheaper to collect the
information and can be collected by user at will, rather than relying on someone
else's satellite.
How can smart phones be used for data collection?
Because they are hugely powerful data collection devices, with a large number of
sensors (accelerometer, GPS, gyroscope, microphone, barometer, thermometer).
Have lots of storage for data, cloud connections, and high processing speed. The
fact that our phones are constantly collecting data about us creates massive
privacy issues.
Define projections and coordinates.
Projections compensate for the earth being spherical but being represented on a
flat surface (map)
Coordinates allow us to accurately and reproducibly locate features on the earth's
surface
Define geodesy
Science of measuring the shape of the earth - humans have been refining the
model for thousands of years
Describe earth's shape.
Earth is an Ellipsoid, not a perfect sphere. Two radii:
•r1, along semi-major (through Equator)
•r2, along semi-minor (through poles). More specifically, its shape is a geoid,
, because it is rough, not smooth, due to differences in internal gravitational pull.
This causes some areas to bulge out while others are sunken.
What is essential for defining x/y coordinates?
The poles and equator
Define datum.
A model of the earth's size/shape (ie a model of the Geoid). Applied to a specific
origin/reference point. Different datums created for places around the world.
Continually refined over time (ex: NAD 27 vs 83). Not much change in recent
decades. Horizontal and Vertical datums exist
With projections, is there more distortion on small scale or large scale maps?
Small scale maps
Projections typically only maintain 1 or 2 of what following features, and must
distort at least one feature?
Area, shape, distances, and angles
Define spherical coordinates.
Use the length of a vector originating at the ellipsoid center to define the location
on the surface
Define latitude and longitude.
Latitude: Lines running parallel east to west; Equator is the baseline
Longitude: Lines running from pole to pole; Meridians; Greenwich (Prime)
Meridian is the baseline from which measurements are made
Define UTM.
Divides the world into 60 zones (including North and South). Each zone has an
origin based on False Easting/Northing
Describe the relationship between GIS, coordinate systems, datum and
projections and what happens in GIS when they differ.
Questions and Answers 100% Pass Latest
Update 2025/2026
Why can getting points from a GPS into ArcGIS be problematic?
Poor connection - hardware and software issues; different
companies/products/versions
Difficult to find the specified datum/projection
What is remote sensing? Give examples.
Collecting information from a distance; ex. photographs or radar/LiDAR. Typically
satellite or air plane. Offer great detail over a continuous surface
How is remote sensing imagery stored?
Great detail = large file sizes. Stored using raster data models - typically, three
rasters superimposed together to get color (one each for Red, Green, and Blue
value: RGB)
How can we pull information from remote sensing?
Can often be detected by the human eye and then digitized or classified based on
type; but is very time consuming and expensive. Plus, humans can make mistakes.
So we increasingly use computers to pull out the information correctly.
Computers use automatic processing, being trained to write rules to automatically
pull out information. This is hugely beneficial for large datasets. Not ideal for
small areas.
What is artificial intelligence?
Show computer what to look for and it figures it out; E.g. cancer on a brain scan,
gentrification on street view. Cutting edge of computer technology - but humans
,are unsure of how it actually works. Computer is literally thinking for itself
(training itself). Huge potential moving forward - perhaps someday replace all
humans
What is LiDAR?
Light Detection and Ranging - similar to SONAR, but uses laser rather than sound
waves. Device sends out a laser pulse, and records how long it takes for it to
bounce off surface and return to detector. Benefits: Highly Accurate; can
penetrate foliage
How are drones used in RS and what is their benefit
Similar to RS from air photos or satellite. However, much cheaper to collect the
information and can be collected by user at will, rather than relying on someone
else's satellite.
How can smart phones be used for data collection?
Because they are hugely powerful data collection devices, with a large number of
sensors (accelerometer, GPS, gyroscope, microphone, barometer, thermometer).
Have lots of storage for data, cloud connections, and high processing speed. The
fact that our phones are constantly collecting data about us creates massive
privacy issues.
Define projections and coordinates.
Projections compensate for the earth being spherical but being represented on a
flat surface (map)
Coordinates allow us to accurately and reproducibly locate features on the earth's
surface
Define geodesy
Science of measuring the shape of the earth - humans have been refining the
model for thousands of years
Describe earth's shape.
Earth is an Ellipsoid, not a perfect sphere. Two radii:
•r1, along semi-major (through Equator)
•r2, along semi-minor (through poles). More specifically, its shape is a geoid,
, because it is rough, not smooth, due to differences in internal gravitational pull.
This causes some areas to bulge out while others are sunken.
What is essential for defining x/y coordinates?
The poles and equator
Define datum.
A model of the earth's size/shape (ie a model of the Geoid). Applied to a specific
origin/reference point. Different datums created for places around the world.
Continually refined over time (ex: NAD 27 vs 83). Not much change in recent
decades. Horizontal and Vertical datums exist
With projections, is there more distortion on small scale or large scale maps?
Small scale maps
Projections typically only maintain 1 or 2 of what following features, and must
distort at least one feature?
Area, shape, distances, and angles
Define spherical coordinates.
Use the length of a vector originating at the ellipsoid center to define the location
on the surface
Define latitude and longitude.
Latitude: Lines running parallel east to west; Equator is the baseline
Longitude: Lines running from pole to pole; Meridians; Greenwich (Prime)
Meridian is the baseline from which measurements are made
Define UTM.
Divides the world into 60 zones (including North and South). Each zone has an
origin based on False Easting/Northing
Describe the relationship between GIS, coordinate systems, datum and
projections and what happens in GIS when they differ.
