how do you read latitude and longitude on a globe

To read latitude and longitude, break up the coordinates into a series of degrees, minutes and seconds, and locate the hemisphere in which the coordinates sit. Like Clockwork – Longitude

and latitude are tools that pinpoint any location on Earth.

Full Answer

How do you read latitude and longitude?

To read latitude and longitude, break up the coordinates into a series of degrees, minutes and seconds, and locate the hemisphere in which the coordinates sit. Like Clockwork – Longitude and latitude are tools that pinpoint any location on Earth.

How do you find a location on a world globe?

Find a location on your world globe by reading the labels that indicate country, state, city or province. Wrap a piece of string so that it is centered on the location, going horizontally across and reaches all the way to the prime meridian. Note the location of the city or country between longitude lines.

What are longitude and latitude?

Longitude and latitude are tools that pinpoint any location on Earth. With the dawn of GPS systems and smartphone maps, it’s not as common to map out locations using long numerical coordinates.

How do you write 50 degrees north on a globe?

For example, if the string hits five grid cells up from 45 degrees north, write the measurement as 50 degrees north or 50N. Locate the international date line on your globe, which is an imaginary vertical line along the 180-degree meridian.

How are latitude and longitude measured on a globe?

Both longitude and latitude are angles measured with the center of the earth as an origin. A longitude is an angle from the prime merdian, measured to the east (longitudes to the west are negative). Latitudes measure an angle up from the equator (latitudes to the south are negative).

How do you read a globe line?

GlobesOne imaginary line is called the equator. ... Another imaginary line on the globe is the prime meridian. ... Lines of latitude, or parallels, are east-west circles around the globe. ... Lines of longitude, or meridians, run north and south. ... To read a map, first look at the title.More items...

Do you read longitude or latitude first?

Handy tip: when giving a co-ordinate, latitude (north or south) always precedes longitude (east or west). Latitude and longitude are divided in degrees (°), minutes (') and seconds (“). There are 60 minutes in a degree and 60 seconds in a minute (similar to measuring time).

How do you find latitude on a globe?

Latitude is determined by the angle between a point on the earth's surface and the equator. To calculate the angle, draw a line from the point to the center of the earth and a line from the equator to the center of the earth (Fig. 1.10 A).

How is latitude and longitude written?

For example, a location could be found along the latitude line 15°N and the longitude line 30°E. When writing latitude and longitude, write latitude first, followed by a comma, and then longitude. For example, the above lines of latitude and longitude would be written as "15°N, 30°E."

What direction part of the globe do they measure?

The lines circling the globe in a north-south direction are called lines of longitude (or meridians). They are used to measure distances east and west.

How do you read coordinates on a grid?

0:002:14How To Read Off Coordinates From A Coordinate Grid (Finding ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo I the x-axis number on a will be five so write that down first and the y-axis number is two so toMoreSo I the x-axis number on a will be five so write that down first and the y-axis number is two so to coordinate a is at five - let's go for coordinate B which is here.

Which is the correct order for coordinates?

The order in which you write x- and y-coordinates in an ordered pair is very important. The x-coordinate always comes first, followed by the y-coordinate.

Is latitude north or south?

Latitude measures the distance north or south of the equator. Lines of latitude, also called parallels, are imaginary lines that divide the Earth. They run east to west, but measure your distance north or south.

How do you know if your longitude is east or west?

The line of longitude is read as 2 degrees (2), 10.4418 minutes (10.4418) east. The coordinate for the line of longitude represents east of the Prime Meridian because it is positive. If the number is negative, it represents west of the Prime Meridian.

How to read latitude and longitude?

To read latitude and longitude, break up the coordinates into a series of degrees, minutes and seconds, and locate the hemisphere in which the coordinates sit. Sciencing_Icons_Science.

How to read coordinates?

To read the coordinates of any location, start with the number of degrees on the latitude line, and clarify whether it is in the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. The Earth is nearly 25,000 miles around, so once divided into 360 degrees, it means each degree is about 69 miles wide. Each degree is then broken down into 60 minutes.

What is longitude and latitude?

Longitude and latitude are tools that pinpoint any location on Earth. With the dawn of GPS systems and smartphone maps, it’s not as common to map out locations using long numerical coordinates. But the latitude and longitude system is the basis of many of those mapping apps, and an understanding of how to read those coordinates is a great way ...

What is the starting point of the latitude and longitude grid?

The starting point for latitude lines is the equator, which is at 0 degrees latitude.

How is the prime meridian measured?

The prime meridian is measured at 0 degrees, and each line east and west of there increases by one degree. Like Clockwork. Reading latitude and longitude is similar to reading the time, in which you would start with the hour, and then nail it down to minutes and seconds to get as precise a reading as possible.

Where is the starting point for lines of longitude?

The starting point for lines of longitude is called the prime meridian. It passes through Greenwich, England, a spot chosen during an 1884 conference to determine the latitude and longitude system. Directly 180 degrees both west and east of that spot is the antipodal meridian.

Which hemisphere is north of the equator?

Everything north of the equator is part of the Northern Hemisphere, and everything south makes up the Southern Hemisphere.

What do lines of latitude and longitude mean?

Lines of latitude circle the earth. Latitude describes how far north or south from the equator a place is. Lines of longitude run through the poles. Longitude describes how far east or west a place is located from the prime meridian. Globes are a great way to see what the earth looks like.

Where is the latitude line located?

It is located at zero degrees latitude (0°). Latitude lines measure distances north or south of the equator. The farthest latitude north of the Equator is the North Pole, 90° north. The farthest latitude south of the Equator is the South Pole, 90° south. Lines of longitude, or meridians, run north and south.

What are the tools mapmakers use to help you read a map?

Maps show the location of places and features on the earth's surface. A title, compass rose, map key, and scale are important tools mapmakers use to help you read a map.

What are imaginary lines on a globe called?

Other imaginary lines on globes and maps are called latitude and longitude. These lines crisscross and look like a grid. The lines are measured in units called degrees (°). Lines of latitude, or parallels, are east-west circles around the globe. The main line of latitude is the equator.

How to understand a map?

To understand a map, always study the title and the map key. A map scale measures distances on a map. It is a line marked in miles, kilometers, or both. It shows how distance on a map compares to real distance. Maps often show lines of latitude and longitude.

How to find the distance between two points on a map?

Maps often show lines of latitude and longitude. Use a ruler to measure the distance between two points on a map. Then add the number of miles from the map scale to find the total distance. The Treasure Map shows a grid of numbers and letters to help you judge distance on the map.

What is a map?

A map is a flat drawing of all or part of the earth's surface. It shows where places and things are located. Maps also show how things are connected to each other. They show size, distance, and direction. Some maps include physical features. They show lakes, mountains, and rivers. Other maps show where people live. These maps might show political features, such as cities and country boundaries.

How to find latitude and longitude?

To find the latitude, look at the horizontal lines running north to south from the equator. Count the lines from the equator to the location and write down that number in degrees along with “N” or “S” depending on whether the location is north or south of the equator. Then, identify the line of longitude.

How to find the degrees of a line of longitude?

Lines of longitude run vertically and stretch from east to west, so count each line between the location and the Prime Meridian to get its degrees. When you have that number, write it down in degrees and denote whether it lies east or west of the Prime Meridian.

How to write out the location of a location?

To write out the full location, start with the line of latitude. Follow this with the coordinates using minutes and decimals. Add a comma and then the line of longitude followed by its minutes and decimals. Remember to use positive and negative numbers to indicate the direction of coordinates.

What is the purpose of latitude and longitude?

Latitude and longitude are points on the globe that help you find a specific location. When writing latitude and longitude, you want to make sure you format it correctly and use the right symbols so you are understood. You can identify varying points of latitude and longitude on maps and then write them out.

When using decimals to indicate latitude and longitude, what do you use?

When using decimals to indicate latitude and longitude, positive numbers fall north of the equator and negative numbers fall south of the equator.

How many seconds are between each minute?

There are 60 seconds between each minute. Again, an online map can help you identify the precise number of seconds between each minute. A quotation mark is used to indicate the number of seconds. For example, if there are 15 seconds between the minutes in your longitude line, you would write 15".

How many minutes are there between latitude and longitude?

Imagine there are 60 even minutes separating each line of latitude and longitude. You can find maps online that will help you pinpoint the precise number of minutes your location falls along between each line of latitude or longitude. An apostrophe should be used to indicate the number of minutes between lines.

How to find a location on a globe?

Find a location on your world globe by reading the labels that indicate country, state, city or province. Wrap a piece of string so that it is centered on the location, going horizontally across and reaches all the way to the prime meridian.

How to find the longitude of a string?

Look at the grid cell or dash the string is hitting on the prime meridian. This is the longitude degree of your location. For example, if the strings hits three grid cells up from 15 degrees east, the location is at 18 degrees east, or 18E.

How far apart are latitude and longitude?

Latitude and longitude lines are 15 degrees apart and are labeled with a numbered degree and a direction. The equator and prime meridian lines are thicker and have a subtle grid that indicate each degree in between the lines.

How long do meridians lose?

Meridians that are east of the international date line gain one hour , while meridians west of the international date line lose one hour. For example, if it is 3 p.m. in your location, it will be 10 p.m. in a location that is seven meridians East of the international date line. 00:00. 00:04 09:10. GO LIVE.

What does the N represent on a compass?

Note that the “N” represents “North,” the “E” represents “East,” the “S” represents “South” and the “W” represents “West.” If you are moving from California to Illinois, you would be moving East. Remember the points on the compass by using them as an anagram for “Never Eat Soggy Waffles.”

What is the prime meridian?

This is the prime meridian, the second main reference point of the globe. Locations to the left of the prime meridian are west, while locations to the right are east. Note that both the equator and prime meridian are at 0 degrees.

What is the diagonal of a compass?

Note that the diagonal points in between the singular “N,” “S,” “E,” and “W,” such as “NE,” are read in the same manner. For example, “NE” means “Northeast.” These points are named by their location on the compass; for example, SE is in between “S” and “E” and SW is in between “S” and “W.”