projection, in geometry, a correspondence between the points of a figure and a surface (or line). In plane projections, a series of points on one plane may be projected onto a second plane by choosing any focal point, or origin, and constructing lines from that origin that pass through the points on the first plane and impinge upon the second (see ). This type of mapping is called a central projection. The figures made to correspond by the projection are said to be in perspective, and the image is called a projection of the original figure. If the rays are parallel instead, the projection is likewise called “parallel”; if, in addition, the rays are perpendicular to the plane upon which the original figure is projected, the projection is called “orthogonal.” If the two planes are parallel, then the configurations of points will be identical; otherwise this will not be true.
A second common type of projection is called stereographic projection. It refers to the projection of points from a sphere to a plane. This may be accomplished most simply by choosing a plane through the centre of the sphere and projecting the points on its surface along normals, or perpendicular lines, to that plane. In general, however, projection is possible regardless of the attitude of the plane. Mathematically, it is said that the points on the sphere are mapped onto the plane; if a one-to-one correspondence of points exists, then the map is called conformal.
Projective geometry (q.v.) is the discipline concerned with projections and the properties of projective configurations.