Esri ArcGIS Pro Foundation Certification Practice Test

To create a map that has minimal distortion but does not perfectly preserve any of the four spatial properties, what type of projection should be used?

1. Azimuthal

2. Compromise

3. Conformal

4. Gnomonic

The correct answer is: Compromise

A compromise projection is designed specifically for creating maps that balance the distortion of area, shape, distance, and direction. While it does not perfectly preserve any of these spatial properties, it seeks to reduce distortion across the board, making it suitable for thematic and general-purpose mapping. This type of projection is useful when the goal is to provide a visual representation that is fairly accurate and recognizable to users without favoring any particular spatial property. It can help in representing global maps where a certain balance is needed to understand spatial relationships without significant distortions that typically arise with other projection types. In contrast, projections like conformal focus on preserving shape, while azimuthal and gnomonic projections prioritize other aspects such as distance or specific directional properties. Thus, they may cause significant distortions in areas or shapes, making them less suitable for applications that require a balanced view of all four properties.