eli5 if maps are inaccurate because we can’t project spheres on 2d planes. what happens if we actually decide to map the earth “by hand”?

Question

Like let’s say that we start on the cape of goodwill for example and follow the coast.

Represent each 1km with 1mm for example on our map (map size isn’t a problem just for the sake of the argument). Getting the directions of drawing off a compass exactly. And just walk around all the coasts of the world.

What type of map do we end up with in this hypothetical?

In: 5

Answer 1

I think you would just end up with a scribble.

For the sake of visualization, let’s start walking from the north pole.

– Walk all 10,000km down to the equator, then turn 90-degrees to the right.
– Now walk 10,000km along the equator, then turn 90-degree right again
– walk another 10,000km and you will arrive at the north pole, having drawn a “triangle”

On paper:

– you would draw a 1000cm line down
– then a 1000cm line to the right, forming an L shape
– then a 1000cm line up, drawing a U shape or a square with no top
– the square would also be reversed

Now imagine all the twists and turns of a coastline, left/right reversed at time, with 90-degree angles actually being 60 degree angles.

A scribble!