Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Mathematics/2015 October 16

= October 16 =

Looking for a map projection
Is there a map projection that tries to minimize both area distortion and distance distortion?

Winkel tripel projection comes close to what I'm looking for, but it's got the additional criterion of minimizing angel distortion, which I don't actually mind since I don't do much navigations.

This question fits both the math RD and the humanities RD, so I used my judgement and picked math RD. If this is in the wrong place then let me know and I'll move it. 731Butai (talk) 09:25, 16 October 2015 (UTC)
 * So actually, if you get distances right, everything else follows. As a corollary, you can't get distances right.
 * Every map projection is in some sense a tradeoff among these various distortions. Even if you don't care about angles in a navigational sense, you probably care about shapes, and distorting angles is the same as distorting shapes.  Not sure how directly this helps you with your question, but it strikes me as probably relevant to what you're interested in. --Trovatore (talk) 20:35, 17 October 2015 (UTC)
 * Yes, I do care about shapes, but I care far far more about distances than shapes, and since there's always a trade-off like you said, I'm looking for a projection that minimizes area and distance distortion, but not angel distortion, or its equivalent, shape distortion. 731Butai (talk) 07:57, 18 October 2015 (UTC)
 * By the way, reducing the useful property of conformality (that is, preserving angles) to a question of "navigation" is a technique typically used to criticize the unjustly maligned Mercator projection. It's certainly true that Mercator is misleading to the naive user (especially regarding relative sizes of landmasses/countries), but once you know how to use it, it's really a marvelous projection, one of my favorites.  You just have to learn how to use it correctly. --Trovatore (talk) 22:11, 17 October 2015 (UTC)

For educational purposes, you can use the geokov.com site http://geokov.com/education/map-projection.aspx. This site gives examples and definitions that will help you in your project. In addition, it provides multiple links to different types of software that you can use (both free and for a price)Kmmi227 (talk) 18:56, 20 October 2015 (UTC)


 * What is this thing with maps and heavenly beings?