Cylindrical projection produces which type of map and distortion pattern?

Cylindrical projection produces which type of map and distortion pattern?

• A. Square map/projection with distortion North and South
• B. Circle map/projection with distortion along the equator
• C. Triangular map/projection with distortion to the Southern corners
• D. Rectangular map/projection with distortion along the meridians

Answer: (A)

Cylindrical projection maps the globe onto a cylinder and then unrolls to a rectangular sheet. The distortion grows with latitude, so areas toward the poles become increasingly exaggerated while the equator remains the least distorted. Since meridians (the north–south lines) map to vertical lines on the rectangle, the stretching occurs along those north–south directions as you move away from the equator. So the description that fits this behavior is a rectangular map with distortion along the meridians. Descriptions claiming a square map or a circle/triangle shape don’t align with how cylindrical projections are laid out or how their distortion manifests.

Cylindrical projection maps the globe onto a cylinder and then unrolls to a rectangular sheet. The distortion grows with latitude, so areas toward the poles become increasingly exaggerated while the equator remains the least distorted. Since meridians (the north–south lines) map to vertical lines on the rectangle, the stretching occurs along those north–south directions as you move away from the equator. So the description that fits this behavior is a rectangular map with distortion along the meridians. Descriptions claiming a square map or a circle/triangle shape don’t align with how cylindrical projections are laid out or how their distortion manifests.