Final answer:
The correct answer is D) All of the above are true.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is D) All of the above are true. On a Mercator map, the type of distortion that occurs is that the map scale changes from one part of the map to another. This means that one inch near the equator does not cover the same amount of distance as one inch near the poles. Additionally, one square inch near the equator does not cover the same amount of area as one square inch near the poles. This distortion happens because Mercator projections stretch the areas near the poles, making them appear larger than they actually are.