The most accepted method of portraying spatial information about the environment is in the form of cartographic presentations, or maps. A number of problems arise from the fact that flat maps must be used to depict a world that is not flat and obviously much larger. These include scale transformations, rubber sheeting, and rotation, all of which must be accounted for when designing a map of reality.
Maps have numerous characteristics that facilitate environmental learning.
Maps can also include information beyond that which is perceivable in the reality. A critical attribute in map presentation is the style employed, and as a result, the complexity of the information which is included on the map. Maps used to summarize geographic information include thematic, choropleth and topographic maps and are meant to display, accurately, ample information about the environment for diverse applications. Maps designed as wayfinding tools, on the other hand, have a completely different purpose. They are specifically intended to assist in nav igation and improve accuracy in movement through the environment.