What is latitude and longitude?
Latitude and Longitude
Latitude and longitude are the two coordinates used to specify a location on the Earth's surface. They are used to locate any point on the Earth's surface accurately.
Latitude
Latitude is the angular distance of a point on the Earth's surface north or south of the equator. It is measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds. The equator is an imaginary line that circles the Earth at 0 degrees latitude. The North Pole is at 90 degrees north latitude, and the South Pole is at 90 degrees south latitude. Latitude lines run parallel to each other and are marked on maps and globes with numbers that indicate their degree of latitude.
Longitude
Longitude is the angular distance of a point on the Earth's surface east or west of the prime meridian. The prime meridian is an imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and passes through Greenwich, England. It is marked as 0 degrees longitude. Longitude is also measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds. Longitude lines run from the North Pole to the South Pole and are not parallel to each other. They converge at the poles and are marked on maps and globes with numbers that indicate their degree of longitude.
Uses of Latitude and Longitude
Latitude and longitude are used for a variety of purposes, including:
- Navigation: Latitude and longitude are used to navigate ships, airplanes, and other vehicles.
- Mapping: Latitude and longitude are used to create accurate maps of the Earth's surface.
- Time Zones: Longitude is used to determine time zones. Each time zone is approximately 15 degrees of longitude wide.
- Astronomy: Latitude and longitude are used to locate celestial objects in the sky.
- GPS: Global Positioning Systems (GPS) use latitude and longitude to determine the exact location of a person or object on the Earth's surface.
What is latitude and longitude?
Longitudes are the imaginary lines running through north-south direction. They are also called meridians. Lattitudes are the imaginary lines running through the east-west direction. They are also called parallels.
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