ABSTRACT
Map projection is the orderly transfer of positions of places on the surface of the Earth to corresponding points on a flat sheet of paper, a map. This book discusses the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the problem. It is impossible to transform from a surface of two finite radii of curvature to a surface of two infinite radii of curvature without introducing some distortion. The sphere and the spheroid are called nondevelopable surfaces. The book develops the plotting equations in a general way. These equations are the basis of the orderly transformation from the model of the Earth to the map. Distortion is the limiting factor in the process of map projection. Distortion is the twisting out of shape or size of a geometrical figure, thus incurring its misrepresentation. One of the easiest ways to minimize distortions is choosing a projection whose basic geometrical figures closely represent the shape of the corresponding figure on the model of the Earth.
