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Welcome to Map World  
The Problem Going From Globes To Maps
UNLIKE GLOBES,  EVERY FLAT MAP MISREPRESENTS THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH IN SOME WAY




The Four Sisters

DIRECTION
DISTANCE
SHAPE
AREA
DISTORTIONS
DIRECTION: The direction between a point on the map and the North Pole is not accurate.
DISTANCE The scale is not consistent across the surface of the map. If you measure 1 inch or 1 cm on one part of the map it will equal one distance, but if you measure in another part of the map it will not equal the same real world distance.
SHAPE: The shape of a feature will be different in different part of the map.
AREA:The area or size of a feature will change depending on where it is located on the map.



When we try to squash the round surface of the globe onto a flat map we must change one or more of the Four Sisters of Map Characteristics....(1) Direction, (2) Distance, (3) Shape and (4) Style

There is a special word geographers like to use for squashing round globes into flat maps.  This word is PROJECT (right, its similar to your teacher's overhead projector).  Actually they do try to squash the globe with their hands or feet or hammers. No, they like to use mathematics to PROJECT their maps.  There are many different ways to PROJECT the globe into a map, and each way of projecting creates a map that looks different. PROJECTIONS are the different kinds of maps Geographers create when they PROJECT the globe in different ways.

Activity hints...

[1] Why don't you use your imagination to draw pictures of what you think the four sisters would look like? Be sure to write the name by each picture. This might help you to remember.

[2] You know that geographers really use mathematics to project their maps, but can you draw a cartoon of a funny way somebody might try to uses threir hands or hammers or what ever to squash a globe into a map?