Various Map Projection Concepts Illustrated

Distances as measured on a Grid, the Ellipsoid, the Geoid and on the Ground

You should be aware that there are significant changes when converting distances from a UTM map to the equivalent ground distance when using NAD27 versus using NAD83, as mentioned below:

Ground surface, ellipsoid, geoid and projection grid surface compared

Basis upon which the Great Circle Distance Calculation is Derived (recalling how to determine the length of a circle).

Great circle distance derived from an arc angle and the Earth's radius

False Origin

Wisconsin grid with its actual origin, then with a false origin

Surfaces, Orientations and Coincidences

Cone, cylinder and plane on a globe, tangent then secant

 

 

Illustrations of different map projections

North America on the Albers equal-area conic projection World map on the Mollweide equal-area projection World map on the Miller cylindrical projection World map on the Mercator projection World map on the Peters projection World map on the Behrmann cylindrical equal-area projection

The UTM Projection-based coordinate system

World grid of UTM zone numbers and zone designators UTM zone 14, from 42 degrees south to 42 degrees north