Final answer:
The azimuthal projection is the type that distorts size and shape and shows Earth from a central point. The Mercator projection is known for its significant distortion of sizes near the poles, often misrepresenting the true sizes of continents like Africa.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer to the question of which map projection shows Earth from a central point and distorts size and shape is the azimuthal projection. This projection can depict Earth from any point on the surface and is often used to display polar regions. However, size and shape distortion increases as you move away from the center point.
Other projection types mentioned such as cylindrical projection (and specifically the Mercator projection), homolosine projection, and Robinson projection, respectively, translate the globe onto a cylinder, attempt to minimize overall distortion, and aim to balance various projection distortions.
The Mercator projection is specifically known to distort the size of continents and distances as latitude increases, as conceived by Gerardus Mercator in 1569. This projection was extensively used for nautical purposes because any straight line on a Mercator map is a line of constant compass bearing, which is useful for navigation. However, it's important to note that it significantly distorts the size of objects near the poles while maintaining the angles and shapes of small objects, which has led to widespread misunderstanding of the true sizes of continents, especially Africa as depicted in the Mercator projections.