Question

advantages and disadvantages of different projections- question 1 of 2 attempt 1 of 2 why is the mercator projection favored by navigators? a. it accurately represents the area of major landmasses. b. it does not distort the size of the oceans. c. it highlights the geography of a single hemisphere. d. it has straight lines that accurately indicate direction.

Explanation:

The Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection. One of its key features is that lines of constant bearing (rhumb lines) are straight. This is extremely useful for navigators as they can draw a straight line on the map to represent a constant - direction course.

• Option A: The Mercator projection distorts area, especially near the poles. So, it does not accurately represent the area of major landmasses.
• Option B: It also distorts the size of features (both land and water) as the latitude increases. Oceans near the poles are distorted in size.
• Option C: It is a global projection (in the sense that it can cover the whole world, although with distortion) and not specifically designed to highlight a single hemisphere.
• Option D: The straight - line rhumb lines on the Mercator projection allow navigators to easily plot a course of constant direction.

Answer:

D. It has straight lines that accurately indicate direction.