Contents Glossary Summary Chart of Projections and Map Uses (big file)
Welcome to Map World  
Four Major Types of Projections

(Four Brothers
Click on the drawings to see specific examples of projections of each type. The uses of each type are shown in the Summary Chart. This is a big file and may require a couple of minutes to load.)



Cylindrical
Pseudocyldrical
Azimuthal
Conic


Each major type of Projection distorts the globe in different ways.  
The map you should choose select will depend on how you want to use it.

Activities:  

[1] Use yoour imagination to draw pictures of what you think the four brothers might look like. Be sure to put their names close to them to help you remember.

[2] Write the names of the four sisters in one column.  Write the names of the four brothers in the other column beside the first about five inches away.  Now draw a line from each brother to the sister that you think distorts her the least..  

[3] Gather four small balls (could use clay), some cardboard tubes from paper towels, and some cone shaped paper drinking cups.  Make a display showing how each of the projections is done.