Name: _______________________________ Date: _______________ Per: _______ Log #:____
Location Notes
Relative Location:
 The location of a place compared to another place
 Example: Columbus, OH is in the central part of Ohio. Ohio is west of Indiana.
Absolute Location:
 An exact spot on Earth.
 Example: Times Sqaure, NYC is located at 40° 45’ N, 73° 59’ W
Facts about Latitude:

Latitude lines measure distances (in degrees) north or south of the equator

Latitude lines are also called parallel lines, because they never meet.

The equator is 0° latitude. Half of the parallels are north of the equator and half are south of it.

Latitude lines run east and west. They are drawn around the globe.

Parallels that are above the equator are labeled north. Parallels that are below the equator are labeled
south

As you move away from the equator, lines of latitude increase. Bigger numbers are farther from the Equator.

The North Pole is 90° N latitude. It is the farthest point north.

The South Pole is 90° S latitude. It is the farthest point south
Facts about Longitude:

Longitude lines measure distance east or west of the equator.

Lines of longitude are also called meridians.

Longitude lines are different from parallels. They DO meet.

Lines of longitude come together at the North and South Poles.

The Prime Meridian is 0° degrees longitude. It runs through Greenwich, England.

Half of the meridians are east of the Prime Meridian and half are west of it.

Longitude lines run north and south. They are drawn from top to bottom on the globe.

Meridians to the left of the Prime Meridian are measured west

Meridians to the right of the Prime Meridian are measured east

Because the Earth is a sphere (circle), it is 360° around. Therefore, 180° is the halfway point for longitude
lines.

As you move away from the Prime Meridian lines of longitude increase. Bigger numbers are farther away
from the Prime Meridian.

180° is the highest line of longitude. It is also called the International Date Line. This is where each day
begins and ends.

180° can be labeled east or west or not at all since there is only one line named 180°