Cartographers adjust the properties of a globe when projecting it onto a map; which term describes this alteration?

• A. Cartographic distortion
• B. Scale distortion
• C. Projection distortion
• D. Map distortion

Answer: (D)

Distortion is what happens when a three‑dimensional globe is flattened into a two‑dimensional map. The alteration you see on the map—changes in shape, area, distance, and direction—results from the projection process. The best term for this overall alteration is map distortion because it describes the observable effects on the map itself after projection. While you could talk about why it happens (projection distortion) or use a broader label (cartographic distortion), map distortion directly points to the changes visible in the map’s representation, which is what cartographers are documenting and managing when choosing a projection.