Managing Misconceptions: Seafarers, great circles, and a tad of rhumb—Understanding the Mercator misconception

by: Michael A. DiSpezio

Being flat, Mercator maps inherently misrepresent some aspects of Earth’s geography. That’s because there is absolutely no way to simultaneously conserve all of the elements of three-dimensional space in a two-dimensional model. To dispel misconceptions, check out the Activity Worksheet and the website resources included in this article. Along with your own arsenal of mapping experiences, these suggested resources offer a rich and varied landscape on which to tackle the Mercator misconception and associated misunderstandings in map projections.

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Type Journal ArticlePub Date 11/1/2010Stock # ss10_034_03_14Volume 034Issue 03

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