Maps and Map Skills

Maps vs. Globes Maps are important tools for geographers. A globe is a better model of Earth than a map, but a globe has disadvantages that a map does not have. What might be some of those disadvantages?

Maps vs. Globes Pros and Cons of Globes: Pros and Cons of Maps: Pros: highly accurate!!!, no distortion Cons: difficult to use, lack of detail Pros and Cons of Maps: Pros: easy to use and read, produced at any scale, can be modified Cons: distortions of shapes and sizes

Latitude The set of lines crossing the Earth’s surface horizontally, circling east and west. Each line of latitude is always an equal distance from the next. They are also known as parallels. All latitude lines are parallel to each other.

Longitude A set of lines that run vertically along Earth’s surface from the North Pole to the South Pole Lines are not parallel, converge at poles Prime Meridian central line of longitude

Latitude and Longitude

Using Latitude & Longitude to Locate Places Lines of latitude are numbered based on how far north or south they are from an imaginary line called the equator This line circles the Earth exactly halfway between the NP and SP. The equator’s latitude degree is 00. There are 90 degrees between it and each of the poles. Area between the equator and NP is “north” latitude (220N) Area between the equator and SP is “south” latitude (220S)

Prime Meridian’s longitude degree is 00. Lines of longitude are numbered based on how far east or west they are from another imaginary line. Prime Meridian’s longitude degree is 00. There are 1800 of longitude east of the PM and 1800 west of it. Area east of the PM is known as “east” longitude. (1200E) Area west of the PM is known as “west” longitude. (1200W)

Prime Meridian & International Date Line The prime meridian does not circle the globe as the equator does. At 1800 on the other side of the globe the meridian is called the international date line.

Global Grid When lines of latitude and longitude cross, a grid is formed. The grid is used to located certain places on earth

Geographic Mapping Each line has an identifying number called degrees, or parts of a circle. (410 ) Degrees, can be further divided into minutes, or parts of a degree. There are 60 minutes, or parts of a degree. (10’) Minutes can be divided into even smaller parts called seconds. There are 60 seconds in each minute. (10”) 41010’10” 410 Degrees Minutes 10’ Seconds 10”