On a Mercator chart, 1 nautical mile is equal to ____

On a Mercator chart, 1 nautical mile is equal to 1 minute of latitude. This relationship stems from the design of the Mercator projection, which maintains constant angles and thus preserves the shapes of small areas, making it particularly useful for marine navigation.

In this projection, the Earth is represented on a flat surface in such a manner that lines of latitude and longitude intersect at right angles. Each degree of latitude is divided into 60 minutes, and each minute of latitude corresponds to a distance of 1 nautical mile. This defines the nautical mile as a unit of measurement in navigation, specifically suited for charting and piloting at sea.

The other options present degrees of angular measurement rather than direct spatial distance. While degrees of latitude quantitatively relate to distances, they do not align with the specific measurement of nautical miles as used on a Mercator chart in conjunction with latitude.