Esri ArcGIS Pro Foundation Certification Practice Test

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a geographic coordinate system?

1. Measured in linear units

2. Represented by latitude and longitude

3. Based on a spherical model

4. Uses parallels and meridians

The correct answer is: Measured in linear units

A geographic coordinate system is designed to provide a framework for identifying locations on the Earth’s surface using a well-defined set of coordinates. Typically, this system is characterized by the following: - Geographic coordinate systems utilize latitude and longitude to define points, which directly correlates to the representation of positions on a spherical model of the Earth. - Latitude lines, or parallels, run horizontally and indicate how far north or south a location is from the equator, while longitude lines, or meridians, run vertically and indicate how far east or west a location is from the prime meridian. Thus, saying that a geographic coordinate system is measured in linear units is not correct. Instead, latitude and longitude are expressed in degrees, not in linear measurements like meters or feet, which are more characteristic of projected coordinate systems. The distinction between linear units (like those used in projected coordinate systems) and angular measurements (used in geographic coordinate systems) serves to clarify the unique nature of geographic coordinates.