Latitude and Longitude: Finding Locations on Planet Earth. With thanks and credit to Step.com

GEOGRAPHY – LONGITUDE/LATITUDE BELLRINGER10/3  What is longitude?  How does it work?  What is latitude?  How does it work?

Draw a Circle on your paper. Create the equator and the prime meridian.

On the map horizontal lines are lines of latitude and.... vertical lines are lines of longitude. The X axis is the equator and the Y axis which runs through Greenwich, England is the Prime Meridian. Equator Prime Meridian

Any location north of the equator is in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, written as ___°N (Hemi = half; sphere = globe)

Any location south of the equator is in the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, written as ___°S (Hemi = half; sphere = globe)

Any location west of the prime meridian is in the WESTERN HEMISPHERE, written as ____°W (Hemi = half; sphere = globe)

Any location east of the prime meridian is in the EASTERN HEMISPHERE, written as ____°E (Hemi = half; sphere = globe)

We can divide the Earth into quadrants: NE where all latitudes are NORTH and all longitudes are EAST. (quadrants  quad = four)

We can divide the Earth into quadrants: SE where all latitudes are SOUTH and all longitudes are EAST. (quadrants  quad = four)

We can divide the Earth into quadrants: SW where all latitudes are SOUTH and all longitudes are WEST. (quadrants  quad = four)

We can divide the Earth into quadrants: NW where all latitudes are NORTH and all longitudes are WEST. EVERY point in the United States will have a NORTH latitude and a WEST longitude since we are in the NW quadrant.

With the person next to you answer the following questions:  What continent is in the NE quadrant?  What continent is in the SE quadrant?  What continent is in the NW quadrant?  What continent is in the SW quadrant?  (Can you add any countries you know)?

90°S 90°N What is latitude? (HORIZONTAL LINES) Latitude measures the distance North and South from the equator. Label the North Pole 90° N Label the South Pole 90° S And remember that the equator is 0° latitude. What is the maximum possible latitude on Earth? 90° is maximum. You could be at 90°N or 90°S but there is no greater latitude on Earth (or anywhere else) 0°0° Y-axis

What is longitude? VERTICAL LINES Longitude measures the distance East and West from the prime meridian The prime meridian is 0° 0°0° And if you go half way around the world you will reach the 180° longitude line. 180° Understand that there aren’t two 180° lines. On this FLAT map it just looks that way. It’s the SAME line. What is the maximum possible longitude on Earth? 180° longitude

Each box on this map is 15°. With that in mind how can we identify specific locations (red dots)? Remember, write latitude first! What are the coordinates of location......A 60°N, 30°W What are the coordinates of location......B 15°S, 105°W What are the coordinates of location......C 75°S, 75°E But what about location D ? It’s in the middle of a box. What do we do now?

Here are some things to remember:  Latitude is written first and must always include N (north) or S (south) of the equator.  Longitude is written next and must always include E (east) or W (west) of the prime meridian. As with anything else you learn you will get better with practice SO PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

WORLD TIME ZONES Fig. 1-9: The world’s 24 standard time zones each represent about 15° of longitude. GMT is Universal Time. International Date Line (turn clock forward 24 hrs going WEST; turn back 24hrs going EAST)

US Land Ordinance, 1785  US divided country into townships and ranges so that land could be divided up and sold to white settlers moving West A township is 6 square miles Principal Meridians – some of the north-south lines Base lines – some of the east-west lines

Townships are split into 36 square mile sections (1-36) Tiers are N/S of baselines Ranges are E/W of meridians Sections are divided into 4 quarter- sections (NW/NE/SW/SE) Survey maps have a scale of 1:24,000 (1 in = 24,000 in or 2,000 ft)

How to Read Township and Range:  N ½ of NW ¼ of sec. 19, T44N, R8E R7ER8E T44N NW 24 NENW 19 NE SWSESWSE NW 25 NENW 30 NE SWSESWSE