Latitude, Longitude and Time
Use latitude and longitude to locate places and calculate time differences.
Latitude and longitude form a grid that locates every place on Earth.
- Distinguish latitude from longitude.
- Locate places using coordinates.
- Calculate time differences using longitude.
Latitude
Lines of latitude run east-west and measure distance north or south of the equator (0°). The Tropic of Cancer is about 23.5°N and the Tropic of Capricorn about 23.5°S.
Longitude
Lines of longitude run north-south and meet at the poles. The Prime Meridian is 0° and passes through Greenwich. Longitude is measured east or west up to 180°.
Time and Longitude
The Earth turns 360° in 24 hours, so 15° of longitude equals one hour. Places east are ahead in time; places west are behind.
City A is at 15°E and City B at 45°E. The difference is 30°.
30° ÷ 15° = 2 hours. City B is 2 hours ahead of City A.
Practice
- Explain the difference between latitude and longitude.
- A place is 30°E. Another is 15°W. How many hours apart are they?
- Name the line at 0° latitude and the line at 0° longitude.
Recap
Latitude measures north-south, longitude east-west. Every 15° of longitude equals one hour of time difference.
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