TedEd Why world maps are wrong

Why is it impossible to create a perfectly accurate flat map of the world?

• The Earth's surface is constantly changing.

• Flat maps cannot represent the Earth's spherical shape without distortion.

• Early mapmakers lacked precise measurement tools.

• The Earth's magnetic poles interfere with map projections.

What significant contribution did Ptolemy make to mapmaking in 150 AD?

• He invented the compass for navigation.

• He created the first map showing all continents.

• He systematically mapped the Earth on a grid using coordinates.

• He discovered new landmasses previously unknown.

What problem did Gerardus Mercator's 1569 map projection solve for navigators?

• It accurately represented the true size of all landmasses.

• It allowed curved navigational routes on a globe to appear as straight lines on a flat map.

• It eliminated the need for compasses during long voyages.

• It provided the first complete map of the entire world.

What is a significant distortion present in the Mercator projection?

• Landmasses near the equator appear larger than they are.

• Oceans are disproportionately small compared to land.

• Landmasses furthest from the equator appear larger than they are.

• It completely omits the polar regions.

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