Name__________________
Latitude and Longitude on the ESRT
Introduction: Virtually all maps have lines of latitude (parallels) and longitude (meridians). Together these
lines create an imaginary grid that can be used to locate any point on earth. On a globe, latitude lines, parallels,
run from east to west and tell your location North or South of the equator. They are measured in degrees, which
are divided into minutes, which are divided into seconds. There are 60 minutes in 1 degree and 60 seconds in 1
minute. This is similar to time! Lines of latitude run from 0° at the Equator to 90° North at the North Pole and
90°South at the South Pole. Longitude lines, meridians, run from north to south on a globe and intersect at the
poles. Like lines of latitude, longitude lines are also divided into degrees, minutes and seconds. Longitude is
measured from 0° at the Prime Meridian to 180° to the east and 180° to the west, meeting at the International
Date Line.
Information on latitude and longitude is written with latitude first, then longitude. For example the location of
Great Neck, NY is 40º 47'North, 73º16'West.
Objective: To understand completely the grid system called latitude and longitude and to accurately locate and
use the latitude longitude system. Use your ESRT pages 3-5 to find various locations on Earth.
Vocabulary:
LatitudeLongitudeProcedure:
1. Using a ruler draw straight vertical lines connecting number values for longitude on your New York
State Map. Draw a line for every WHOLE number. Remember, these values are West.
2. Using a ruler draw straight horizontal lines connecting number values for latitude on your New York
State Map. Draw a line for every WHOLE number. Remember, these values are North.
3. Use your maps to correctly write the location for the cities listed. You must include the proper unites (
North/South, East/West).
**Remember: 1 degree = 60 minutes.**
Part 1 – Use ESRT page 2 to answer the questions below. You must include appropriate units!!
1.
2.
3.
4.
What direction is the Tug Hill Plateau from The Catskills? _____________
What direction are the Newark Lowlands from the Allegheny Plateau? _____________
What direction are the Champlain Lowlands from the Adirondack Mountains? _____________
What direction are the Hudson-Mohawk Lowlands from the Taconic Mountains? _____________
Part 2 – Use ESRT page 3 to find the city located at the coordinates given. Write the City name in the table
below.
COORDINATES
CITY
1
42 ºN, 76 º50’W
2
43 ºN, 76 º20’W
3
41 ºN, 72 º55W
4
42 º45’N, 73 º40’W
5
42 º15’N, 79 º20’W
Part 3 – Use ESRT page 3 to locate the city and record its latitude and longitude to the nearest minute. You
must include units.
CITY
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
1
MASSENA
2
JAMESTOWN
3
OLD FORGE
4
BUFFALO
5
UTICA
Part 4 – Use your ESRT page 4 to locate ocean current found at the coordinates given. Before you begin use a
ruler to draw a horizontal line across the Equator, make this line BOLD. Use your ruler to draw a vertical line
connecting the 0º longitude. Label this the Prime Meridian. Use your ruler to draw another vertical line
connecting the 180º longitude. Label this the International Date Line. Above the values for longitude write WEST on the
left side of the prime meridian (WEST should appear between the Prime Meridian and International Date Line.) On the
right side of the Prime Meridian write EAST, write East again on the far left of the paper (this is where the map wraps
around), between 20º and the International Date Line.
Coordinates
1
39 ºN, 16 ºW
2
38 ºS, 105 ºE
3
60 ºN, 140 ºW
4
40 ºS, 80 ºW
5
30 ºS, 38 ºE
Name of Current
Part 5 – Use your ESRT page 5 to locate the following tectonic features.
Coordinates
Tectonic Feature
1
25ºN, 45ºE
2
60ºS, 38ºW
3
35ºN, 20ºW
4
20ºN, 150º E
Part 6- Use your ESRT page 5 to locate the following Hot Spots and give their coordinates. You must include
the appropriate UNITS with your answer! (Hint- You should draw in the Equator, Prime Meridian and
International Date Line to find North, South, East, West).
Hot Spot
Coordinates
1
Hawaii Hot Spot
2
Yellowstone Hot Spot
3
Iceland Hot Spot
4
Tasman Hot Spot