Mercator Navigation and Map Projections

A cylindrical map projection widely used for navigation.
Distorts the shape and size of geographic features, particularly near the poles.

An alternative map projection that attempts to minimize distortion in several aspects: area, shape, scale, and distance.
Although it distorts everything slightly, it is visually appealing and widely used in world maps.

A map projection that aims to depict the sizes of Earth's continents accurately.
Shape distortion occurs, challenging the perception of geographic sizes and areas compared to the Mercator projection.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems): A system that captures, analyzes, and displays spatial information.
GPS (Global Positioning System): A navigation system that determines an object’s precise location on Earth using satellite signals.
Notable contributor: Gladys West, whose work in satellite geodesy contributed to GPS technology.

Regions: Areas defined by certain characteristics or criteria.
- Formal Regions: Defined by governmental or natural boundaries, often recognized officially (e.g., climate regions, census tracts determined every 10 years).
- Functional Regions: Defined by a specific function, such as the area served by a 911 emergency services district.
- Vernacular (Perceptual) Regions: Areas defined by people's perceptions or cultural identity; often biased and subjective in their definitions.