GISP Study Exam 2026 Questions and
Answers
Georeferencing - Correct answer-101- associating a map or image with spatial
location
control points - Correct answer-101- points come in pairs that match the spatial
location with a point on an unreferenced image or map
Spatial Reference Systems (SRS) - Correct answer-101- coordinate based local,
regional, or global system used to location geographical entities (aka Coordinate
Reference System (CRS))
Coordinate Reference System (CRS) - Correct answer-101- coordinate based local,
regional, or global system used to location geographical entities (aka Spatial
Reference Systems (SRS))
International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) - Correct answer-101- a three-
dimensional coordinate system with a well-defined origin (the center of mass of
the Earth) and three orthogonal coordinate axes (X,Y,Z)
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Map projection - Correct answer-101- transforming coordinated from a curved
surface (Earth) to a flat map
Horizontal datum - Correct answer-101- model of the earth as a spheroid (2
components, reference ellipsoid and a set of survey points both the shape of the
spheroid and its position relative to the earth)
Vertical Datum - Correct answer-101- reference point for measuring elevations
NAVD88 - Correct answer-101- Gravity based geodetic datum in North America
WGS 84 (World Geodetic System) - Correct answer-101- reference coordinate
system used by the Global Positioning System (GPS)
SRID integer - Correct answer-101- Spatial reference system id numbers, including
EPSG codes defined by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers
types of distortion - Correct answer-101- Distance, Direction, Shape, Area
(sometimes bearing and scale)
Mercator Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- preserves shape and
direction, area gets distorted
Mercator Projection - Correct answer-101- projecting the Earth onto a cylinder
tangent to a meridian
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Azimuthal Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- distance from center is
true, other properties distort with distance
Azimuthal Projection - Correct answer-101- planar or tangent (meaning they are
formed when a flat piece of paper is placed on top of the globe and a light source
projects the surrounding areas on to a map.) Either the North Pole or the South
pole is orientated at the center of the map, giving the viewer an impression of
looking up or down at Earth.
Cylindrical Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- preserve area and shape,
distance gets distorted, especially on upper and lower regions of the map
Cylindrical Projection - Correct answer-101- 2 types Tangent (1 intersect) and
Secant (2 intersects)
Straight meridians and parallels
meridians are equally spaced while parallels are not
Conical Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- preserves direction and area
in limited areas, distorts distance and scale except along standard parallels
Conic Projections - Correct answer-101- mapped to equally spaced lines by
projecting a spherical surface onto a cone
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, Choosing a Projection- Low LATITUDE, (near Equator) - Correct answer-101- use
conical projection
Choosing a Projection- High LATITUDE, Polar Regions - Correct answer-101- use
azimuthal planar projections
Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad East-West (e.g. USA) - Correct answer-
101- use conical projection
Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad North-South (e.g. Africa) - Correct
answer-101- use transverse-case cylindrical projection
Choosing a Projection- THEMATIC, analysis that compares different values in
different locations - Correct answer-101- use an equal-area projection
Discrete features - Correct answer-102- feature has a definable boundary (think,
"vector")
continuous phenomena - Correct answer-102- each location is a measure of
something, often temperature or elevation (think "raster", but not always)
Geoid - Correct answer-103- the shape that the surface of the oceans would take
under the influence of Earth's gravitation and rotation alone (absent of the
influence of wind or tide)
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
Answers
Georeferencing - Correct answer-101- associating a map or image with spatial
location
control points - Correct answer-101- points come in pairs that match the spatial
location with a point on an unreferenced image or map
Spatial Reference Systems (SRS) - Correct answer-101- coordinate based local,
regional, or global system used to location geographical entities (aka Coordinate
Reference System (CRS))
Coordinate Reference System (CRS) - Correct answer-101- coordinate based local,
regional, or global system used to location geographical entities (aka Spatial
Reference Systems (SRS))
International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) - Correct answer-101- a three-
dimensional coordinate system with a well-defined origin (the center of mass of
the Earth) and three orthogonal coordinate axes (X,Y,Z)
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Map projection - Correct answer-101- transforming coordinated from a curved
surface (Earth) to a flat map
Horizontal datum - Correct answer-101- model of the earth as a spheroid (2
components, reference ellipsoid and a set of survey points both the shape of the
spheroid and its position relative to the earth)
Vertical Datum - Correct answer-101- reference point for measuring elevations
NAVD88 - Correct answer-101- Gravity based geodetic datum in North America
WGS 84 (World Geodetic System) - Correct answer-101- reference coordinate
system used by the Global Positioning System (GPS)
SRID integer - Correct answer-101- Spatial reference system id numbers, including
EPSG codes defined by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers
types of distortion - Correct answer-101- Distance, Direction, Shape, Area
(sometimes bearing and scale)
Mercator Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- preserves shape and
direction, area gets distorted
Mercator Projection - Correct answer-101- projecting the Earth onto a cylinder
tangent to a meridian
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Azimuthal Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- distance from center is
true, other properties distort with distance
Azimuthal Projection - Correct answer-101- planar or tangent (meaning they are
formed when a flat piece of paper is placed on top of the globe and a light source
projects the surrounding areas on to a map.) Either the North Pole or the South
pole is orientated at the center of the map, giving the viewer an impression of
looking up or down at Earth.
Cylindrical Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- preserve area and shape,
distance gets distorted, especially on upper and lower regions of the map
Cylindrical Projection - Correct answer-101- 2 types Tangent (1 intersect) and
Secant (2 intersects)
Straight meridians and parallels
meridians are equally spaced while parallels are not
Conical Projection- distortions - Correct answer-101- preserves direction and area
in limited areas, distorts distance and scale except along standard parallels
Conic Projections - Correct answer-101- mapped to equally spaced lines by
projecting a spherical surface onto a cone
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, Choosing a Projection- Low LATITUDE, (near Equator) - Correct answer-101- use
conical projection
Choosing a Projection- High LATITUDE, Polar Regions - Correct answer-101- use
azimuthal planar projections
Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad East-West (e.g. USA) - Correct answer-
101- use conical projection
Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad North-South (e.g. Africa) - Correct
answer-101- use transverse-case cylindrical projection
Choosing a Projection- THEMATIC, analysis that compares different values in
different locations - Correct answer-101- use an equal-area projection
Discrete features - Correct answer-102- feature has a definable boundary (think,
"vector")
continuous phenomena - Correct answer-102- each location is a measure of
something, often temperature or elevation (think "raster", but not always)
Geoid - Correct answer-103- the shape that the surface of the oceans would take
under the influence of Earth's gravitation and rotation alone (absent of the
influence of wind or tide)
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
