Which projection shows true direction but distorts size at the poles?

Which projection shows true direction but distorts size at the poles?

• A. Robinson Projection
• B. Mercator Projection
• C. Polar Projection
• D. Gnomonic Projection

Answer: (B)

Mercator projection preserves directions, which means compass bearings stay true on the map. That makes it extremely useful for navigation because a straight line on the map represents a constant bearing in the real world. However, it does not maintain accurate size; the scale grows rapidly with latitude, so areas near the poles appear magnified far more than they are in reality. This is why polar regions become disproportionately large on Mercator maps. Other projections sacrifice either accurate size or accurate direction. For example, some projections aim to balance shape and area but won’t keep directions true across the map, while others emphasize either polar detail or global circle routes but don’t preserve bearings everywhere. The key idea is that Mercator keeps directions true locally while distorting size at the poles.

Mercator projection preserves directions, which means compass bearings stay true on the map. That makes it extremely useful for navigation because a straight line on the map represents a constant bearing in the real world. However, it does not maintain accurate size; the scale grows rapidly with latitude, so areas near the poles appear magnified far more than they are in reality. This is why polar regions become disproportionately large on Mercator maps.

Other projections sacrifice either accurate size or accurate direction. For example, some projections aim to balance shape and area but won’t keep directions true across the map, while others emphasize either polar detail or global circle routes but don’t preserve bearings everywhere. The key idea is that Mercator keeps directions true locally while distorting size at the poles.