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You're probably thinking that longitude is exactly like latitude, imaginary lines dividing the earth up into squares like a chess or checkerboard. The problem with this notion is that the earth isn't a rectangle, it is a sphere. Therefore, the "vertical" lines of longitude differ greatly from the "horizontal" lines of latitude. Read the following to see if you can spot the major difference(s). After reading and completing the exercise, you should be ready to locate places around the world using latitude and longitude.
You're probably thinking that longitude is exactly like latitude, imaginary lines dividing the earth up into squares like a chess or checkerboard. The problem with this notion is that the earth isn't a rectangle, it is a sphere. Therefore, the "vertical" lines of longitude differ greatly from the "horizontal" lines of latitude. Read the following to see if you can spot the major difference(s). After reading and completing the exercise, you should be ready to locate places around the world using latitude and longitude.
1. Lines of longitude only go halfway around the earth - starting and ending at the poles. A fancy word for middle or halfway is meridian. Therefore, you will also see and hear lines of longitude being labeled and called meridians.
1. Lines of longitude only go halfway around the earth - starting and ending at the poles. A fancy word for middle or halfway is meridian. Therefore, you will also see and hear lines of longitude being labeled and called meridians.
2. How many degrees are there in a circle? If you said 360° you are correct. The earth is a three dimensional circle in a sense and can be split up like a circle with 360°. Where do we start (i.e., where do we start with 0° longitude? The diagram below shows the "first" line of longitude or the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian passes through a village outside of London, England called Greenwich Village, England (click here to read how this place was designated as the "First Line of Longitude" or the Prime Meridian). The Prime Meridian also passes through France, Spain, Western Africa, and Antarctica as it extends itself to the poles of the earth.
2. How many degrees are there in a circle? If you said 360° you are correct. The earth is a three dimensional circle in a sense and can be split up like a circle with 360°. Where do we start (i.e., where do we start with 0° longitude? The diagram below shows the "first" line of longitude or the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian passes through a village outside of London, England called Greenwich Village, England (click here to read how this place was designated as the "First Line of Longitude" or the Prime Meridian). The Prime Meridian also passes through France, Spain, Western Africa, and Antarctica as it extends itself to the poles of the earth.
3. Half way around the globe from 0° longitude (the Prime Meridian) is 180°. The diagram below shows a "birds eye" view over the North Pole of how the Prime Meridian (0°) and the 180° line of longitude divides the earth into two hemispheres.
3. Half way around the globe from 0° longitude (the Prime Meridian) is 180°. The diagram below shows a "birds eye" view over the North Pole of how the Prime Meridian (0°) and the 180° line of longitude divides the earth into two hemispheres.
4. The map below is a map view of how using both of the these lines (0° and 180° longitude) together divides the earth into Western and Eastern hemispheres. The Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude) divides the earth into two hemispheres with the Western and Eastern edges of the map serving as 180 degrees longitude.
4. The map below is a map view of how using both of the these lines (0° and 180° longitude) together divides the earth into Western and Eastern hemispheres. The Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude) divides the earth into two hemispheres with the Western and Eastern edges of the map serving as 180 degrees longitude.
5. Every place between 0° longitude and (moving west) to 180° longitude is said to be in the Western Hemisphere. Every place between 0° longitude and (moving east) to 180° longitude is said to be in the Eastern Hemisphere.
5. Every place between 0° longitude and (moving west) to 180° longitude is said to be in the Western Hemisphere. Every place between 0° longitude and (moving east) to 180° longitude is said to be in the Eastern Hemisphere.
For example, what line of longitude is point G? If you said 45 degrees East, then you were correct.
For example, what line of longitude is point G? If you said 45 degrees East, then you were correct.
What line of latitude does point F lie on?
What line of latitude does point F lie on?
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