Practice question · Multiple choice
No projection preserves both area and shape, and no neutral map of the Earth exists. Why is that a mathematical certainty rather than a technical limitation?
Hints
- Try to flatten an orange peel without tearing or stretching it.
- Gauss's Theorema Egregium is the formal statement.
Show the answer
A. Because a sphere has curvature and a plane does not
Why
Curvature is intrinsic and cannot be removed by any mapping. Choosing a projection is therefore always choosing which distortion you can live with.
Practise Visual and Iconographic Sources
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