GISP Exam Questions with 100% Correct
Answers 2024/2025
Georeferencing - ANSWERSAssociating a map (such as a pdf without spatial information) or image (such
as an aerial image without spatial information) with spatial locations.
Control Points - ANSWERSConsisting of multiple points, points come in pairs that match the spatial
location with a point on an unreferenced image or map.
Spatial Reference System (SRS) or Coordinate Reference System (CRS) - ANSWERSA coordinate-based
local, regional or global system used to locate geographical entities.
International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) - ANSWERSIt's 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).
Map Projection - ANSWERSTransforming coordinates from a curved earth to a flat map.
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) - ANSWERSA global coordinate system - UTM zones are 6 degrees.
Horizontal Datum - ANSWERSModel of the Earth as a spheroid (2 components, reference ellipsis and a
set of survey points both the shape of the spheroid and its position relative to the Earth).
Vertical Datum - ANSWERSReference point for elevations of surfaces and features on the Earth - could be
based on tidal, seas levels, gravimetric, based on a geoid.
NAVD88 - ANSWERSGravity based geodetic datum in North America.
Geodetic Datum - ANSWERSSet of control whose geometric relationships are known, either through
measurement or calculation.
,WGS - World Geodetic System - ANSWERSReference coordinate system used by the Global Positioning
System (GPS).
SRID Integer - ANSWERSSpatial reference system ID numbers, including EPSG codes defined by the
International Association of Oil and Gas Producers.
4 Distortions - ANSWERSDistance, Direction, Shape, Area
Mercator Projection - ANSWERSPreserves shape and direction, area gets distorted - projecting Earth
onto a cylinder tangent to a meridian.
Azimuthal Equidistant - ANSWERSPlanar (tangent) - used for air route distances - distances measured
from the center are true - distortion of other properties increases away from the center point.
Cylindrical Equal - Area Projections - ANSWERSPreserves area, shape and distance gets distorted near
the upper and lower regions of the map - straight meridians and parallels - meridians are equally spaced
and the parallels are unequally spaced.
Conic Projections - ANSWERSPreserves directions and areas in limited areas - distorts distances and scale
except along standard parallels - generated by projecting a spherical surface onto a cone.
Latitude Projection - ANSWERSLow-latitude areas (near equator) use a conical projection, Polar regions
use a azimuthal planar projection.
Extent Projection - ANSWERSBroad in East-West (e.g., the US) use a conical projection; Broad in North-
South ( e.g., Africa) use a transverse-case cylindrical projection.
Thematic Projection - ANSWERSIf you are doing an analysis that compares different values in different
locations, typically an equal-area projection will be used.
Discrete Features - ANSWERSA feature that has a definable boundary, begins and ends, for example a
highway or lake.
,Continuous Phenomena - ANSWERSEach location is a measure of something, for example elevation. A.
Measure of concentration level. B. Measure of a value in terms of a fixed point (like elevation in terms of
sea level).
Geoid - ANSWERSThe shape that the surface of the oceans would take under the influence of Earth's
gravitation and rotation alone, in the absence of other influences such as winds 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.
Reference Ellipsoid - ANSWERSA mathematically defined surface that approximates the geoid, the truer
figure of the Earth, or other planetary body.
Oblate Ellipsoid - ANSWERSFits the geoid to a first order approximation - formed when an ellipse is
rotated about its minor axis.
Sphere - ANSWERSAs 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 21 kilometers.
First (direct) Geodetic Problem - ANSWERSGiven a point ( in terms of its coordinates) and the direction
(azimuth) and distance from that point to a second point, determine (the coordinates of) that second
point.
Second (inverse) Geodetic Problem - ANSWERSGiven two points, determine the azimuth and length of
the line (straight line, arc or geodesic) that connects them.
Geomatics - ANSWERSScience and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing, and
using geographic information (includes surveying, mapping, remote sensing, GIS, GPS).
Spatial Model - ANSWERSBasic properties and process for a set of spatial features.
Cartographic Model - ANSWERSTemporally static, imbibed spatial datasets, operations and functions for
problem solving. According to Bolstad.
, Spatial-Temporal Models - ANSWERSDynamics in space and time, time driven processes. According to
Bolstad.
Network Models - ANSWERSModeling of resources (flow, accumulation) as limited to networks.
According to Bolstad.
Data Models - ANSWERSEntities and fields as conceptual models. According to Goodchild.
Static Modeling - ANSWERSTaking inputs to transform them into outputs using sets of tools and
functions. According to Goodchild.
Dynamic Modeling - ANSWERSIterative, sets of initial conditions, apply transformations to obtain a series
of predictions at time intervals. According to Goodchild.
Based on Purpose Descriptive - ANSWERSPassive, description of the study area prescriptive - active,
imposing best solution. According to DeMers.
Based on Methodology Stochastic - ANSWERSBased on statistical probabilities deterministic - based on
known functional linkages and interactions. According to DeMers.
Based on Logic Inductive - ANSWERSGeneral models based on individual data deductive - from general
to specific using known factors and relationships. According to DeMers.
Vector - ANSWERSCoordinate based data model that represents points, lines, polygons.
Points - ANSWERSDiscrete locations on the ground, represented by a coordinate pair.
Lines - ANSWERSLinear features, such as rivers, roads, and transmission cables. Composed of vertices,
begin and end at vertices, represented by an ordered list of vertices.
Polygons - ANSWERSForm bounded areas, such as islands, land masses, and water features. Composed
of nodes and vertices, the start node is the same as the end node.
Answers 2024/2025
Georeferencing - ANSWERSAssociating a map (such as a pdf without spatial information) or image (such
as an aerial image without spatial information) with spatial locations.
Control Points - ANSWERSConsisting of multiple points, points come in pairs that match the spatial
location with a point on an unreferenced image or map.
Spatial Reference System (SRS) or Coordinate Reference System (CRS) - ANSWERSA coordinate-based
local, regional or global system used to locate geographical entities.
International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS) - ANSWERSIt's 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).
Map Projection - ANSWERSTransforming coordinates from a curved earth to a flat map.
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) - ANSWERSA global coordinate system - UTM zones are 6 degrees.
Horizontal Datum - ANSWERSModel of the Earth as a spheroid (2 components, reference ellipsis and a
set of survey points both the shape of the spheroid and its position relative to the Earth).
Vertical Datum - ANSWERSReference point for elevations of surfaces and features on the Earth - could be
based on tidal, seas levels, gravimetric, based on a geoid.
NAVD88 - ANSWERSGravity based geodetic datum in North America.
Geodetic Datum - ANSWERSSet of control whose geometric relationships are known, either through
measurement or calculation.
,WGS - World Geodetic System - ANSWERSReference coordinate system used by the Global Positioning
System (GPS).
SRID Integer - ANSWERSSpatial reference system ID numbers, including EPSG codes defined by the
International Association of Oil and Gas Producers.
4 Distortions - ANSWERSDistance, Direction, Shape, Area
Mercator Projection - ANSWERSPreserves shape and direction, area gets distorted - projecting Earth
onto a cylinder tangent to a meridian.
Azimuthal Equidistant - ANSWERSPlanar (tangent) - used for air route distances - distances measured
from the center are true - distortion of other properties increases away from the center point.
Cylindrical Equal - Area Projections - ANSWERSPreserves area, shape and distance gets distorted near
the upper and lower regions of the map - straight meridians and parallels - meridians are equally spaced
and the parallels are unequally spaced.
Conic Projections - ANSWERSPreserves directions and areas in limited areas - distorts distances and scale
except along standard parallels - generated by projecting a spherical surface onto a cone.
Latitude Projection - ANSWERSLow-latitude areas (near equator) use a conical projection, Polar regions
use a azimuthal planar projection.
Extent Projection - ANSWERSBroad in East-West (e.g., the US) use a conical projection; Broad in North-
South ( e.g., Africa) use a transverse-case cylindrical projection.
Thematic Projection - ANSWERSIf you are doing an analysis that compares different values in different
locations, typically an equal-area projection will be used.
Discrete Features - ANSWERSA feature that has a definable boundary, begins and ends, for example a
highway or lake.
,Continuous Phenomena - ANSWERSEach location is a measure of something, for example elevation. A.
Measure of concentration level. B. Measure of a value in terms of a fixed point (like elevation in terms of
sea level).
Geoid - ANSWERSThe shape that the surface of the oceans would take under the influence of Earth's
gravitation and rotation alone, in the absence of other influences such as winds 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.
Reference Ellipsoid - ANSWERSA mathematically defined surface that approximates the geoid, the truer
figure of the Earth, or other planetary body.
Oblate Ellipsoid - ANSWERSFits the geoid to a first order approximation - formed when an ellipse is
rotated about its minor axis.
Sphere - ANSWERSAs 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 21 kilometers.
First (direct) Geodetic Problem - ANSWERSGiven a point ( in terms of its coordinates) and the direction
(azimuth) and distance from that point to a second point, determine (the coordinates of) that second
point.
Second (inverse) Geodetic Problem - ANSWERSGiven two points, determine the azimuth and length of
the line (straight line, arc or geodesic) that connects them.
Geomatics - ANSWERSScience and technology of gathering, analyzing, interpreting, distributing, and
using geographic information (includes surveying, mapping, remote sensing, GIS, GPS).
Spatial Model - ANSWERSBasic properties and process for a set of spatial features.
Cartographic Model - ANSWERSTemporally static, imbibed spatial datasets, operations and functions for
problem solving. According to Bolstad.
, Spatial-Temporal Models - ANSWERSDynamics in space and time, time driven processes. According to
Bolstad.
Network Models - ANSWERSModeling of resources (flow, accumulation) as limited to networks.
According to Bolstad.
Data Models - ANSWERSEntities and fields as conceptual models. According to Goodchild.
Static Modeling - ANSWERSTaking inputs to transform them into outputs using sets of tools and
functions. According to Goodchild.
Dynamic Modeling - ANSWERSIterative, sets of initial conditions, apply transformations to obtain a series
of predictions at time intervals. According to Goodchild.
Based on Purpose Descriptive - ANSWERSPassive, description of the study area prescriptive - active,
imposing best solution. According to DeMers.
Based on Methodology Stochastic - ANSWERSBased on statistical probabilities deterministic - based on
known functional linkages and interactions. According to DeMers.
Based on Logic Inductive - ANSWERSGeneral models based on individual data deductive - from general
to specific using known factors and relationships. According to DeMers.
Vector - ANSWERSCoordinate based data model that represents points, lines, polygons.
Points - ANSWERSDiscrete locations on the ground, represented by a coordinate pair.
Lines - ANSWERSLinear features, such as rivers, roads, and transmission cables. Composed of vertices,
begin and end at vertices, represented by an ordered list of vertices.
Polygons - ANSWERSForm bounded areas, such as islands, land masses, and water features. Composed
of nodes and vertices, the start node is the same as the end node.
