Which projection is cylindrical with two standard parallels?

• A. Mercator projection
• B. Lambert conformal projection
• C. Cylindrical with two standard parallels
• D. Lambert Zenithal projection

Answer: (C)

Understanding standard parallels means knowing where the map’s scale is true. A standard parallel is a latitude line along which distortion is minimized because the scale factor is exactly one there. In cylindrical projections, the mapping wraps the globe around a cylinder, so distortions grow as you move away from the line of true scale. That’s why many familiar cylindrical projections have a single standard parallel (often the equator in the famous Mercator projection), with scale becoming distorted toward higher latitudes.

Two standard parallels are a hallmark more commonly associated with conic projections, where picking two latitudes as standard parallels minimizes distortion near those lines. The choice that describes a cylindrical projection with two standard parallels aligns with the idea of a projection surface being cylinder-like while specifying two lines of true scale. The remaining options don’t fit both parts: Mercator is cylindrical but has a single standard parallel (the equator); Lambert conformal is a conic projection with two standard parallels; Lambert Zenithal is an azimuthal (planar) projection, not cylindrical.

So the description of a cylindrical projection that has two standard parallels is the best-fit choice.