GISP CERTIFICATION SCRIPT 2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Public role.
Answer: Right granted to anyone connected to the database
◍ Plane coordinate systems.
Answer: These coordinates became preferable to lat/long for large scale
(small area) mapping because they are easier to use for calculating distances
and areas.
◍ Base Station.
Answer: A stationary receiver at a known location. A base station is used to
estimate range measurements errors and improve the accuracy of
measurements.
◍ Root Mean Squared Error (RMS).
Answer: The square root of the average of squared errors. A calculation to
describe the difference between the measurement and the true value. Can
apply to georectification.
◍ 60 minutes.
Answer: There are ___________ in one degree
◍ Decimal degrees to Degrees Minutes Seconds.
Answer: 1) The whole units of degrees remain the same (e.g. 238.91945
--start with 238 degrees)2) Multiply the decimal number by 60 (.91945 x 60
= 55.167) -- the whole number becomes the minutes (55')3) Take the
remaining decimal number from Step 2 and multiply by 60 (.167 x 60 =
10.02"). This number becomes the seconds and remains as a decimal.
◍ Weighted Overlay.
Answer: Overlays several rasters using a common measurement scale and
, weights each according to its importance (you can also specify equal
influence to create an unweighted overlay)
◍ Transit.
Answer: A survey instrument used for measuring horizontal angles. Has a
telescope that can "flip over" for back-sighting and doubling of angles for
error reduction.
◍ Standard deviation.
Answer: Class breaks based on distance of standard deviation from the mean
◍ Database links.
Answer: A connection to a database from a software application. They have
two states: connected to or disconnected from the database. Creation of a
database connection requires selection of a data provider for data retrieval.
◍ Euclidean distance.
Answer: Exact distance between two coordinates: sqrt((X11-x2)^2 +
(y1+y2)^2))
◍ Horizontal datum.
Answer: Model of the earth as a spheroid (2 components, reference ellipsoid
and a set of survey points both the shape of the spheroid and its position
relative to the earth, i.e. by 'attaching' the ellipsoid to a monument on the
earth's surface)
◍ Web Services.
Answer: Data is accessed and exchanged over networks and the Internet
between software components, using http and other web-based protocols.
◍ Typography.
Answer: Design of text, point size, line length, typefaces
◍ Moving Base.
Answer: The base station is on a moving vehicle
◍ Stereoplotter.
Answer: Uses stereo photographs to determine elevations.
,◍ Positional Dilution of Precision (PDOP).
Answer: Describes how good satellite configuration is for collecting
accurate points. Ranges from 1 - 20. A lower PDOP is better. 5 or less is
considered good. PDOP improves if the satellites are spread more evenly
across the sky. A higher PDOP threshold will increase the number of fixes
recorded but lowers accuracy.
◍ Covers (every point of b is a point of a).
Answer: a˚Ո b = b
◍ Line.
Answer: Ordered list of coordinate pairs
◍ Global Identifiers.
Answer: Field type that houses Global IDs and GUIDs. These data types
store registry style strings consisting of 36 characters enclosed in curly
brackets
◍ Map symbols.
Answer: Representation of things on a map
◍ Fuzzy Tolerance.
Answer: The distance at which two points are considered the same.
◍ Circle.
Answer: 2Pi x Radius
◍ Capacity Planning Tool (CPT).
Answer: A framework to promote successful GIS system design and
implementation. Tasks (implementation phase) include reviewing business
needs, establishing performance targets, identifying user locations,
reviewing network suitability, selecting product architecture, and
completing the system architecture design analysis.
◍ Platform & sensor characteristics.
Answer: Spatial resolution, spectral sensitivity, ground coverage, and
temporal resolution
, ◍ Polygon.
Answer: Ordered list of coordinate pairs that reconnect
◍ GPS Constellation.
Answer: Satellites in the _______________ are arranged into six
equally-spaced orbital planes surrounding the Earth. Each plane contains
four "slots" occupied by baseline satellites. This 24-slot arrangement
ensures users can view at least four satellites from virtually any point on the
planet.
◍ Lang Method.
Answer: A spanning line connects two nonadjacent vertices in a line. The
thickness of the spanning line is the weed distance. Any points that fall
within the weed distance of the line are removed. This process removes
more points on lines that are not complex (straight) than complex (many
changes in direction)
◍ Database security.
Answer: Collective measures used to protect and secure a database or
DBMS from illegitimate use and malicious threats and attacks. A DBMS
can provide controlled access to data, including the ability to restrict user
access to just part of a database.
◍ Enterprise GIS Environment.
Answer: A geographic information system that is integrated through an
entire organization so that a large number of users can manage, share, and
use spatial data and related information to address a variety of needs,
including data creation, modification, visualization, analysis, and
dissemination.
◍ US Survey Foot.
Answer: 0.3048006096 meters
◍ Coded value domain.
Answer: Attribute domain that defines a set of permissible values for an
attribute in a geodatabase: it has a code and its equivalent value.
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
◍ Public role.
Answer: Right granted to anyone connected to the database
◍ Plane coordinate systems.
Answer: These coordinates became preferable to lat/long for large scale
(small area) mapping because they are easier to use for calculating distances
and areas.
◍ Base Station.
Answer: A stationary receiver at a known location. A base station is used to
estimate range measurements errors and improve the accuracy of
measurements.
◍ Root Mean Squared Error (RMS).
Answer: The square root of the average of squared errors. A calculation to
describe the difference between the measurement and the true value. Can
apply to georectification.
◍ 60 minutes.
Answer: There are ___________ in one degree
◍ Decimal degrees to Degrees Minutes Seconds.
Answer: 1) The whole units of degrees remain the same (e.g. 238.91945
--start with 238 degrees)2) Multiply the decimal number by 60 (.91945 x 60
= 55.167) -- the whole number becomes the minutes (55')3) Take the
remaining decimal number from Step 2 and multiply by 60 (.167 x 60 =
10.02"). This number becomes the seconds and remains as a decimal.
◍ Weighted Overlay.
Answer: Overlays several rasters using a common measurement scale and
, weights each according to its importance (you can also specify equal
influence to create an unweighted overlay)
◍ Transit.
Answer: A survey instrument used for measuring horizontal angles. Has a
telescope that can "flip over" for back-sighting and doubling of angles for
error reduction.
◍ Standard deviation.
Answer: Class breaks based on distance of standard deviation from the mean
◍ Database links.
Answer: A connection to a database from a software application. They have
two states: connected to or disconnected from the database. Creation of a
database connection requires selection of a data provider for data retrieval.
◍ Euclidean distance.
Answer: Exact distance between two coordinates: sqrt((X11-x2)^2 +
(y1+y2)^2))
◍ Horizontal datum.
Answer: Model of the earth as a spheroid (2 components, reference ellipsoid
and a set of survey points both the shape of the spheroid and its position
relative to the earth, i.e. by 'attaching' the ellipsoid to a monument on the
earth's surface)
◍ Web Services.
Answer: Data is accessed and exchanged over networks and the Internet
between software components, using http and other web-based protocols.
◍ Typography.
Answer: Design of text, point size, line length, typefaces
◍ Moving Base.
Answer: The base station is on a moving vehicle
◍ Stereoplotter.
Answer: Uses stereo photographs to determine elevations.
,◍ Positional Dilution of Precision (PDOP).
Answer: Describes how good satellite configuration is for collecting
accurate points. Ranges from 1 - 20. A lower PDOP is better. 5 or less is
considered good. PDOP improves if the satellites are spread more evenly
across the sky. A higher PDOP threshold will increase the number of fixes
recorded but lowers accuracy.
◍ Covers (every point of b is a point of a).
Answer: a˚Ո b = b
◍ Line.
Answer: Ordered list of coordinate pairs
◍ Global Identifiers.
Answer: Field type that houses Global IDs and GUIDs. These data types
store registry style strings consisting of 36 characters enclosed in curly
brackets
◍ Map symbols.
Answer: Representation of things on a map
◍ Fuzzy Tolerance.
Answer: The distance at which two points are considered the same.
◍ Circle.
Answer: 2Pi x Radius
◍ Capacity Planning Tool (CPT).
Answer: A framework to promote successful GIS system design and
implementation. Tasks (implementation phase) include reviewing business
needs, establishing performance targets, identifying user locations,
reviewing network suitability, selecting product architecture, and
completing the system architecture design analysis.
◍ Platform & sensor characteristics.
Answer: Spatial resolution, spectral sensitivity, ground coverage, and
temporal resolution
, ◍ Polygon.
Answer: Ordered list of coordinate pairs that reconnect
◍ GPS Constellation.
Answer: Satellites in the _______________ are arranged into six
equally-spaced orbital planes surrounding the Earth. Each plane contains
four "slots" occupied by baseline satellites. This 24-slot arrangement
ensures users can view at least four satellites from virtually any point on the
planet.
◍ Lang Method.
Answer: A spanning line connects two nonadjacent vertices in a line. The
thickness of the spanning line is the weed distance. Any points that fall
within the weed distance of the line are removed. This process removes
more points on lines that are not complex (straight) than complex (many
changes in direction)
◍ Database security.
Answer: Collective measures used to protect and secure a database or
DBMS from illegitimate use and malicious threats and attacks. A DBMS
can provide controlled access to data, including the ability to restrict user
access to just part of a database.
◍ Enterprise GIS Environment.
Answer: A geographic information system that is integrated through an
entire organization so that a large number of users can manage, share, and
use spatial data and related information to address a variety of needs,
including data creation, modification, visualization, analysis, and
dissemination.
◍ US Survey Foot.
Answer: 0.3048006096 meters
◍ Coded value domain.
Answer: Attribute domain that defines a set of permissible values for an
attribute in a geodatabase: it has a code and its equivalent value.
