Final answer:
The azimuthal projection system (option a) best preserves direction from a central point to any other point on the map, unlike conformal, equal area, and equidistant projections which can distort direction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The projection system that does a better job in preserving direction is the azimuthal projection system. Azimuthal projections are designed to maintain accurate direction from a central point to any other point on the map. Other types of map projections, like conformal projections (e.g., Mercator projections), maintain shape but distort direction and area; equal area projections preserve area while distorting shapes and directions; and equidistant projections maintain distances but can distort area and direction.
Specifically, an azimuthal projection can represent direction accurately along all lines from the central point. This makes it very useful for navigation and for understanding the spatial relationship between the central point and other locations on the map. In contrast, Mercator projections are a form of conformal projection and render a map projection of the world onto a cylinder so that all the latitude lines have the same length as the equator, which is ideal for marine navigation because it preserves angles and straight lines albeit at the expense of area distortion.