Latitude and Longitude
• Latitude is
imaginary lines
on the earth's
surface running
east and west
and tell you your
distance north or
south of the
Equator.
• Latitude is like
the a ladder.
Latitude lines run
east and west,
but they tell how
far up (north) you
can go or how far
down (south) you
can go.
Latitude
Longitude
• Longitude lines are
imaginary lines on the
earth's surface that run
from pole to pole
around the globe and
tell you your distance
east or west from the
Prime Meridian.
• When you think of
longitude, think of long,
tall telephone poles
(because longitude
lines run from pole to
pole). Longitude lines
run north and south,
but they tell how far
east you can go or how
far west you can go.
There are 360 degrees in a circle. Since
the earth is basically circular, it was
decided to measure latitude and
longitude in degrees also.
Equator
• The first latitude line
was the Equator
(equally distant
between the north and
south poles).
• It is the largest of all
latitude lines. All other
latitude lines are
measured in degrees
north or south of the
Equator.
• There are a maximum of
90 degrees of latitude to
the north or the south
of the Equator.
Prime Meridian
• The first longitude
line was the Prime
Meridian. Any
meridian could have
been chosen as the
Prime Meridian
because they are all
exactly the same.
• There are a maximum
of 180 degrees on
longitude to the east
or the west of the
Prime Meridian
Using Latitude
To find a latitude line such
as 60 degrees north
latitude, you must do
three things:
1. Go to your starting line
(the Equator).
2. Determine which
direction you must go
(north or south).
3. Determine the distance
in degrees you must go
(60).
Using Longitude
• To find a longitude line
such as 40 degrees east
longitude, you must do
three things:
1. Go to your starting
line (the Prime Meridian).
2. Determine which
direction you must go
(east or west).
3. Determine the
distance in degrees you
must go (40).
Quiz: List what continent or ocean is
found at the coordinates below.
1.
20°S latitude & 140°E longitude
2.
40°S latitude & 120°W longitude
3.
0° latitude & 0° longitude
4.
80°S latitude & 0° longitude
5.
0° latitude & 20° E longitude
6.
80°N latitude & 140°E longitude
7.
30°S latitude & 60° W longitude
8.
41°N. latitude & 90°W longitude
9.
10°S latitude & 70°E longitude
10.
30°S latitude & 130°E longitude
Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Australia
Pacific Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
Antarctica
Africa
Artic Ocean
South America
North America
Indian Ocean
Australia