Latitude and Longitude

• Angular measurements used to locate positions on the earth’s surface

• Reference line- Line which serves as a starting point for measurement.

• Equator- reference line for latitude 0O.

• Prime meridian- reference line for longitude 0O.

Latitude

• Measurement north and south of the equator

• Parallels- imaginary lines that connect equal values of latitude.

• Greatest latitude is 900 (North & South pole)

• Labeled and used like the Y-axis on a graph

• Must always have a label N or S designating the location north or south of the equator.

• Based on the position of Polaris (North star).

Longitude

• Measurement east and west of the prime meridian.• Meridians- imaginary lines that connect equal

values of longitude. All meet at the north & south geographic poles

• Greatest longitude is 180 (international date line).• Labeled and used like the X-axis on a graph.• Must always have a label E or W designating the

location east or west of the prime meridian.• Based on the position of the sun.

Distance

• One degree of latitude or longitude is just over 69 miles.

• At 45 degrees N or S of the equator, one degree of longitude is about 49 miles.