GISP COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026
FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Stochastic Model.
Answer: Includes random generation that produces different outputs if given
the same inputs.
◍ Vector Feature Types.
Answer: Points:Zero-dimensionalExamples: wells, trees, GPS
pointsLines:One-dimensionalExamples: roads, rivers,
pipelinesPolygons:Two-dimensionalExamples: parcels, lakes, zoning areas
◍ Semantic Uncertainty.
Answer: The uncertainty that arises from discrepancies in meanings applied
to spatial data, often resulting from ambiguity and vagueness. Semantics are
related to syntax.
◍ What is a geodetic datum?.
Answer: A mathematical model defining the size, shape, and orientation of
the Earth used as a reference for spatial data.
◍ Partial sill.
Answer: The difference between the sill and the nugget in a semivariogram
◍ Best projection geometry for global/equatorial maps?.
Answer: Cylindrical.
◍ LC~ (liquid crystal display) screen.
Answer: A display device for a personal computer that uses eledriccharge
through a liquid crystal solution between two sheets of polarizing materials.
◍ What is geoid height (N)?.
, Answer: The distance between an ellipsoid and a geoid. Geoidal height is
positive if the geoid is above the ellipsoid. It is negative if the geoid is
below the ellipsoid. Geoidal height is also known as geoidal separation.
◍ Semivariance.
Answer: A measure of the degree of spatial dependence among points used
in kriging
◍ Mosaic Dataset.
Answer: Are used to manage, display, analyze, serve and share imagery and
raster data. You can create a mosaic dataset in a geodatabase and can add
raster datasets to it directly or you can create it using a selection from an
existing mosaic dataset. A mosaic dataset manages its raster data in a table,
where datasets are indexed and you can perform queries on the collections.
◍ Link.
Answer: A segment separated by two nodes in a road network
◍ Raster data model.
Answer: A data model that uses a grid and cells to represent the spatial
variation of a feature
◍ Dynamic Segmentations.
Answer: A data model that allows the use of linearly measured data on a
coordinate system
◍ Datum shift.
Answer: A change from one datum to another, such as from NAD27 to
NAD83, which can result in substantial horizontal shifts of point positions
◍ Why is "on-the-fly" datum transformation risky?.
Answer: It can introduce uncertainty and spatial error.
◍ Best projection geometry for mid-latitudes?.
Answer: Conic.
◍ One-to-many relationship.
Answer: One type'of data relationship in which one record in a table is
, related to many records in another table
◍ Framework data.
Answer: Data that many organizations regularly use for GIS activities
◍ National Elevation Dataset (NED).
Answer: A USGS program that uses a seamless system for delivering
1:24,000 scale DEMs (1:63,360 scale DEMs for Alaska).
◍ OGC File Base Standard Include.
Answer: Keyhole Markup Language (KML)Keyhole Markup Language
zipped (KMZ)Geographic Markup Language
(GML)Geo-packageGeoTIFFLaser(LAS)
◍ Discrete Raster.
Answer: Cells are limited to predetermined categorical values. Usually
integer values.
◍ Normalization.
Answer: The process of taking a table with all the attribute data and
breaking it down to small tables while maintaining the necessary linkages
between them in a relational database
◍ Perspective view.
Answer: A graphic method that produces 3-D views of the land surface
◍ What is large-scale mapping?.
Answer: Maps showing small areas with high detail.
◍ Network database.
Answer: A database based on the built-in connections across tables
◍ NAD27.
Answer: North American Datum of 1927, which is based on the Clarke 1866
ellipsoid and has its center at Meades Ranch, Kansas. It gets less accurae the
farther you get from Meades Ranch
◍ The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS).
Answer: It has standards for geospatial data accuracy.
, ◍ x-shift.
Answer: A value applied to x-coordinate readings to reduce the number of
digits
◍ Regression model.
Answer: A global interpolation method that uses a number of independent
variables to estimate a dependent variable
◍ Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database.
Answer: A database maintained by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, which archives soil survey data in 7.5-minute quadrangle units
◍ Clarke 1866.
Answer: A ground-measured ellipsoid, which is the basis for the North
American Datum of 1927 (NAD27)
◍ Geographic Coordinate System.
Answer: A location reference system for spatial features on the Earths
surface
◍ Map Projection.
Answer: A transformation between angular coordinates and planar
coordinates.
◍ Azimuthal Projection.
Answer: One type of map projection that retains certain accurate directions.
Azimuthal also refers to one type of map projection that uses a plane as the
projection surface
◍ Deductive model.
Answer: A model that represents the conclusion derived from a set of
premises
◍ Why are GCS poor for distance/area calculations?.
Answer: The Earth is curved and angular units are not uniform.
◍ Edgematching.
Answer: An editing operation that matches lines along the edge of a layer to
FULL QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ Stochastic Model.
Answer: Includes random generation that produces different outputs if given
the same inputs.
◍ Vector Feature Types.
Answer: Points:Zero-dimensionalExamples: wells, trees, GPS
pointsLines:One-dimensionalExamples: roads, rivers,
pipelinesPolygons:Two-dimensionalExamples: parcels, lakes, zoning areas
◍ Semantic Uncertainty.
Answer: The uncertainty that arises from discrepancies in meanings applied
to spatial data, often resulting from ambiguity and vagueness. Semantics are
related to syntax.
◍ What is a geodetic datum?.
Answer: A mathematical model defining the size, shape, and orientation of
the Earth used as a reference for spatial data.
◍ Partial sill.
Answer: The difference between the sill and the nugget in a semivariogram
◍ Best projection geometry for global/equatorial maps?.
Answer: Cylindrical.
◍ LC~ (liquid crystal display) screen.
Answer: A display device for a personal computer that uses eledriccharge
through a liquid crystal solution between two sheets of polarizing materials.
◍ What is geoid height (N)?.
, Answer: The distance between an ellipsoid and a geoid. Geoidal height is
positive if the geoid is above the ellipsoid. It is negative if the geoid is
below the ellipsoid. Geoidal height is also known as geoidal separation.
◍ Semivariance.
Answer: A measure of the degree of spatial dependence among points used
in kriging
◍ Mosaic Dataset.
Answer: Are used to manage, display, analyze, serve and share imagery and
raster data. You can create a mosaic dataset in a geodatabase and can add
raster datasets to it directly or you can create it using a selection from an
existing mosaic dataset. A mosaic dataset manages its raster data in a table,
where datasets are indexed and you can perform queries on the collections.
◍ Link.
Answer: A segment separated by two nodes in a road network
◍ Raster data model.
Answer: A data model that uses a grid and cells to represent the spatial
variation of a feature
◍ Dynamic Segmentations.
Answer: A data model that allows the use of linearly measured data on a
coordinate system
◍ Datum shift.
Answer: A change from one datum to another, such as from NAD27 to
NAD83, which can result in substantial horizontal shifts of point positions
◍ Why is "on-the-fly" datum transformation risky?.
Answer: It can introduce uncertainty and spatial error.
◍ Best projection geometry for mid-latitudes?.
Answer: Conic.
◍ One-to-many relationship.
Answer: One type'of data relationship in which one record in a table is
, related to many records in another table
◍ Framework data.
Answer: Data that many organizations regularly use for GIS activities
◍ National Elevation Dataset (NED).
Answer: A USGS program that uses a seamless system for delivering
1:24,000 scale DEMs (1:63,360 scale DEMs for Alaska).
◍ OGC File Base Standard Include.
Answer: Keyhole Markup Language (KML)Keyhole Markup Language
zipped (KMZ)Geographic Markup Language
(GML)Geo-packageGeoTIFFLaser(LAS)
◍ Discrete Raster.
Answer: Cells are limited to predetermined categorical values. Usually
integer values.
◍ Normalization.
Answer: The process of taking a table with all the attribute data and
breaking it down to small tables while maintaining the necessary linkages
between them in a relational database
◍ Perspective view.
Answer: A graphic method that produces 3-D views of the land surface
◍ What is large-scale mapping?.
Answer: Maps showing small areas with high detail.
◍ Network database.
Answer: A database based on the built-in connections across tables
◍ NAD27.
Answer: North American Datum of 1927, which is based on the Clarke 1866
ellipsoid and has its center at Meades Ranch, Kansas. It gets less accurae the
farther you get from Meades Ranch
◍ The American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS).
Answer: It has standards for geospatial data accuracy.
, ◍ x-shift.
Answer: A value applied to x-coordinate readings to reduce the number of
digits
◍ Regression model.
Answer: A global interpolation method that uses a number of independent
variables to estimate a dependent variable
◍ Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database.
Answer: A database maintained by the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, which archives soil survey data in 7.5-minute quadrangle units
◍ Clarke 1866.
Answer: A ground-measured ellipsoid, which is the basis for the North
American Datum of 1927 (NAD27)
◍ Geographic Coordinate System.
Answer: A location reference system for spatial features on the Earths
surface
◍ Map Projection.
Answer: A transformation between angular coordinates and planar
coordinates.
◍ Azimuthal Projection.
Answer: One type of map projection that retains certain accurate directions.
Azimuthal also refers to one type of map projection that uses a plane as the
projection surface
◍ Deductive model.
Answer: A model that represents the conclusion derived from a set of
premises
◍ Why are GCS poor for distance/area calculations?.
Answer: The Earth is curved and angular units are not uniform.
◍ Edgematching.
Answer: An editing operation that matches lines along the edge of a layer to
