Question 436Navigation General

70% to pass

Which statement is TRUE concerning a Mercator projection?

A The length of the meridians is increased to provide for equal expansion in all directions.
B Degrees of longitude decrease in length as latitude increases.
C The mileage between the meridians is increased as the latitude increases.
D All of the above
AI Explanation

The correct answer is A) The length of the meridians is increased to provide for equal expansion in all directions. The Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection where the meridians and parallels are straight lines, and the distance between the meridians increases as the latitude increases. This is done to maintain the correct shape and relative size of land masses, which is important for navigation. However, this causes the size of land masses to be distorted at higher latitudes. The other answer choices are incorrect because B) and C) describe the distortion caused by the Mercator projection, but do not explain the underlying reason for this distortion, which is the increase in the length of the meridians.

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Official Resources
USCG Navigation Rules (COLREGS) 33 CFR Navigation Rules USCG National Maritime Center
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