Refers to a system of projection by which the points on a sphere are mapped onto a plane, maintaining a one-to-one correspondence of points. It is generally used for map-making, and tries to resolve the problem that arises because a sphere cannot be represented on a flat surface with the preservation of the proportion of all distances. Conformal projection attempts to preserve the relative shape of configurations that surround each point; that is, it preserves the magnitude and sense of angles at each point. Mercator projection and streographic projection are examples of conformal projection.
