GISP BOARD EVALUATION 2026
GUARANTEED PASS ANSWERS GRADED A+
● control points. Answer: 101- points come in pairs that match the
spatial location with a point on an unreferenced image or map
● Spatial Reference Systems (SRS). Answer: 101- coordinate based
local, regional, or global system used to location geographical entities
(aka Coordinate Reference System (CRS))
● Coordinate Reference System (CRS). Answer: 101- coordinate based
local, regional, or global system used to location geographical entities
(aka Spatial Reference Systems (SRS))
● International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS). Answer: 101- a
three-dimensional coordinate system with a well-defined origin (the
center of mass of the Earth) and three orthogonal coordinate axes
(X,Y,Z)
● Map projection. Answer: 101- transforming coordinated from a curved
surface (Earth) to a flat map
● Horizontal datum. Answer: 101- 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)
,● Vertical Datum. Answer: 101- reference point for measuring elevations
● NAVD88. Answer: 101- Gravity based geodetic datum in North
America
● WGS 84 (World Geodetic System). Answer: 101- reference coordinate
system used by the Global Positioning System (GPS)
● SRID integer. Answer: 101- Spatial reference system id numbers,
including EPSG codes defined by the International Association of Oil
and Gas Producers
● types of distortion. Answer: 101- Distance, Direction, Shape, Area
(sometimes bearing and scale)
● Mercator Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- preserves shape and
direction, area gets distorted
● Mercator Projection. Answer: 101- projecting the Earth onto a cylinder
tangent to a meridian
● Azimuthal Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- distance from center
is true, other properties distort with distance
,● Azimuthal Projection. Answer: 101- planar or tangent (meaning they
are formed when a flat piece of paper is placed on top of the globe and a
light source projects the surrounding areas on to a map.) Either the North
Pole or the South pole is orientated at the center of the map, giving the
viewer an impression of looking up or down at Earth.
● Cylindrical Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- preserve area and
shape, distance gets distorted, especially on upper and lower regions of
the map
● Cylindrical Projection. Answer: 101- 2 types Tangent (1 intersect) and
Secant (2 intersects)
Straight meridians and parallels
meridians are equally spaced while parallels are not
● Conical Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- preserves direction and
area in limited areas, distorts distance and scale except along standard
parallels
● Conic Projections. Answer: 101- mapped to equally spaced lines by
projecting a spherical surface onto a cone
● Choosing a Projection- Low LATITUDE, (near Equator). Answer:
101- use conical projection
, ● Choosing a Projection- High LATITUDE, Polar Regions. Answer:
101- use azimuthal planar projections
● Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad East-West (e.g. USA).
Answer: 101- use conical projection
● Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad North-South (e.g. Africa).
Answer: 101- use transverse-case cylindrical projection
● Choosing a Projection- THEMATIC, analysis that compares different
values in different locations. Answer: 101- use an equal-area projection
● Discrete features. Answer: 102- feature has a definable boundary
(think, "vector")
● continuous phenomena. Answer: 102- each location is a measure of
something, often temperature or elevation (think "raster", but not
always)
● Geoid. Answer: 103- the shape that the surface of the oceans would
take under the influence of Earth's gravitation and rotation alone (absent
of the influence of wind or tide)
GUARANTEED PASS ANSWERS GRADED A+
● control points. Answer: 101- points come in pairs that match the
spatial location with a point on an unreferenced image or map
● Spatial Reference Systems (SRS). Answer: 101- coordinate based
local, regional, or global system used to location geographical entities
(aka Coordinate Reference System (CRS))
● Coordinate Reference System (CRS). Answer: 101- coordinate based
local, regional, or global system used to location geographical entities
(aka Spatial Reference Systems (SRS))
● International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS). Answer: 101- a
three-dimensional coordinate system with a well-defined origin (the
center of mass of the Earth) and three orthogonal coordinate axes
(X,Y,Z)
● Map projection. Answer: 101- transforming coordinated from a curved
surface (Earth) to a flat map
● Horizontal datum. Answer: 101- 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)
,● Vertical Datum. Answer: 101- reference point for measuring elevations
● NAVD88. Answer: 101- Gravity based geodetic datum in North
America
● WGS 84 (World Geodetic System). Answer: 101- reference coordinate
system used by the Global Positioning System (GPS)
● SRID integer. Answer: 101- Spatial reference system id numbers,
including EPSG codes defined by the International Association of Oil
and Gas Producers
● types of distortion. Answer: 101- Distance, Direction, Shape, Area
(sometimes bearing and scale)
● Mercator Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- preserves shape and
direction, area gets distorted
● Mercator Projection. Answer: 101- projecting the Earth onto a cylinder
tangent to a meridian
● Azimuthal Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- distance from center
is true, other properties distort with distance
,● Azimuthal Projection. Answer: 101- planar or tangent (meaning they
are formed when a flat piece of paper is placed on top of the globe and a
light source projects the surrounding areas on to a map.) Either the North
Pole or the South pole is orientated at the center of the map, giving the
viewer an impression of looking up or down at Earth.
● Cylindrical Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- preserve area and
shape, distance gets distorted, especially on upper and lower regions of
the map
● Cylindrical Projection. Answer: 101- 2 types Tangent (1 intersect) and
Secant (2 intersects)
Straight meridians and parallels
meridians are equally spaced while parallels are not
● Conical Projection- distortions. Answer: 101- preserves direction and
area in limited areas, distorts distance and scale except along standard
parallels
● Conic Projections. Answer: 101- mapped to equally spaced lines by
projecting a spherical surface onto a cone
● Choosing a Projection- Low LATITUDE, (near Equator). Answer:
101- use conical projection
, ● Choosing a Projection- High LATITUDE, Polar Regions. Answer:
101- use azimuthal planar projections
● Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad East-West (e.g. USA).
Answer: 101- use conical projection
● Choosing a Projection- EXTENT, broad North-South (e.g. Africa).
Answer: 101- use transverse-case cylindrical projection
● Choosing a Projection- THEMATIC, analysis that compares different
values in different locations. Answer: 101- use an equal-area projection
● Discrete features. Answer: 102- feature has a definable boundary
(think, "vector")
● continuous phenomena. Answer: 102- each location is a measure of
something, often temperature or elevation (think "raster", but not
always)
● Geoid. Answer: 103- the shape that the surface of the oceans would
take under the influence of Earth's gravitation and rotation alone (absent
of the influence of wind or tide)
