Which projection uses a cylindrical shape for mapping?

The cylindrical projection is characterized by its use of a cylinder to represent the Earth’s surface. In this type of map projection, the surface of the Earth is projected onto a cylinder which is then unwrapped to create a two-dimensional map. This method preserves angles, which makes it particularly useful for navigation, as true direction can be represented accurately.

Cylindrical projections can be seen in commonly used maps like the Mercator projection, which is famous for its ability to maintain straight-line navigation paths. This is accomplished at the cost of distortion in area, especially near the poles, where landmasses may appear much larger than they are in reality.

Other options presented, such as plane, cone, and ellipse, do not describe mapping using a cylindrical shape. The plane projection refers to a flat map without cylindrical characteristics. Conic projections use a cone instead of a cylinder to project the Earth’s surface, while elliptical shapes pertain more to theoretical models rather than practical map-making techniques. Thus, the cylindrical projection stands out distinctly as the method that utilizes a cylindrical shape for mapping purposes.