CONS 127 FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS |
LATEST VERSION 2025/2026.
What is latitude? - ANS Angle that describes North-South Position.
What is longitude? - ANS Angle that describes East-West Position.
Where is the prime meridian? - ANS 0 degrees longitude, located in Greenwich, England
What is a Parallel? - ANS Circle connecting all location w/ given latitude.
What are the three ways the earth's shape can be mathematically defined? - ANS 1. sphere
- simplest/ least accurate approximation
2. ellipsoid
- mathematical approximation, accounts flattening at poles/ bulges at equator due to
revolutions, direct mathematical computations
3. geoid
- physical approximation of figure of the Earth, used to measure surface elevation w/high
degree of accuracy
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,(computed w/complex physical models and gravity readings of surface; shape of surface of
calmed oceans in absence of other influences like winds/tides)
What is the only correct representation of the Earth's surface? Why? - ANS 3D globe. It has
all metric properties (area, shape, distance, and location)
Flat 2D surface, only some of these properties can be accurately represented
Every map has some sort of distortion
What is the main difference between an equivalent and conformal projection? -
ANS Equivalent (Conic)
- Earth projected on a cone, shapes distorted but areas preserved
- Good for representing parts of the Earth and enable direct surface comparisons within the
map
- Examples include Mollweide map and the Gall-peters map
Conformal (Cylindrical)
- Projected on a cylinder, distortion at poles and areas, but angles between positions preserved
- Convenient for sea navigation
- Example, Mercator
Considering the case of Africa and Greenland, describe how map projections might influence
the perspective of the map viewer. - ANS Mercator makes Africa appear smaller than
Greenland. The Mollweide gives countries more realistic proportions, where Greenland is
significantly smaller than Africa.
The Mercator map is the most popular map in the world and the one most viewed by people.
Since Greenland appears bigger than Africa, people may subconsciously believe that Greenland
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, is superior to Africa. It therefore can be said that map projections can cause things like
Eurocentrism.
How was a Metre first defined? How is it defined now? - ANS The Metre was originally
defined in 1793 as "one ten-millionth of the
distance from the equator to the North Pole".
From 1889 to 1960s, the standard was a platinum and iridium bar stored in the international
bureau of weights and measures in Paris.
Now it's defined based on the speed of light "length of the path travelled by light in vacuum
during a time internal of 1/299 792 458 of a second"
What is the name of the unit which is equal to 1000 nm? - ANS 1000nm= 1 um
1000um= 1mm
(um= micrometers)
Which covers more area, a small or a large-scale map? - ANS Small scale= large area, coarse
Detail large scale= small area, great detail/accuracy
What are two ways scale can be indicated on a map? - ANS Graphic scale
Bar Scale
Fractional scale
Ratio scale
Verbal scale
What kind of map scale would be appropriate for representing large countries and/or
continents? For a city neighbourhood? - ANS large countries/continents
= 1:20 mill
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
WITH 100% CORRECT ANSWERS |
LATEST VERSION 2025/2026.
What is latitude? - ANS Angle that describes North-South Position.
What is longitude? - ANS Angle that describes East-West Position.
Where is the prime meridian? - ANS 0 degrees longitude, located in Greenwich, England
What is a Parallel? - ANS Circle connecting all location w/ given latitude.
What are the three ways the earth's shape can be mathematically defined? - ANS 1. sphere
- simplest/ least accurate approximation
2. ellipsoid
- mathematical approximation, accounts flattening at poles/ bulges at equator due to
revolutions, direct mathematical computations
3. geoid
- physical approximation of figure of the Earth, used to measure surface elevation w/high
degree of accuracy
1 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
,(computed w/complex physical models and gravity readings of surface; shape of surface of
calmed oceans in absence of other influences like winds/tides)
What is the only correct representation of the Earth's surface? Why? - ANS 3D globe. It has
all metric properties (area, shape, distance, and location)
Flat 2D surface, only some of these properties can be accurately represented
Every map has some sort of distortion
What is the main difference between an equivalent and conformal projection? -
ANS Equivalent (Conic)
- Earth projected on a cone, shapes distorted but areas preserved
- Good for representing parts of the Earth and enable direct surface comparisons within the
map
- Examples include Mollweide map and the Gall-peters map
Conformal (Cylindrical)
- Projected on a cylinder, distortion at poles and areas, but angles between positions preserved
- Convenient for sea navigation
- Example, Mercator
Considering the case of Africa and Greenland, describe how map projections might influence
the perspective of the map viewer. - ANS Mercator makes Africa appear smaller than
Greenland. The Mollweide gives countries more realistic proportions, where Greenland is
significantly smaller than Africa.
The Mercator map is the most popular map in the world and the one most viewed by people.
Since Greenland appears bigger than Africa, people may subconsciously believe that Greenland
2 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
, is superior to Africa. It therefore can be said that map projections can cause things like
Eurocentrism.
How was a Metre first defined? How is it defined now? - ANS The Metre was originally
defined in 1793 as "one ten-millionth of the
distance from the equator to the North Pole".
From 1889 to 1960s, the standard was a platinum and iridium bar stored in the international
bureau of weights and measures in Paris.
Now it's defined based on the speed of light "length of the path travelled by light in vacuum
during a time internal of 1/299 792 458 of a second"
What is the name of the unit which is equal to 1000 nm? - ANS 1000nm= 1 um
1000um= 1mm
(um= micrometers)
Which covers more area, a small or a large-scale map? - ANS Small scale= large area, coarse
Detail large scale= small area, great detail/accuracy
What are two ways scale can be indicated on a map? - ANS Graphic scale
Bar Scale
Fractional scale
Ratio scale
Verbal scale
What kind of map scale would be appropriate for representing large countries and/or
continents? For a city neighbourhood? - ANS large countries/continents
= 1:20 mill
3 @COPYRIGHT 2025/2026 ALLRIGHTS RESERVED
