Latitude and Longitude

Graph Principles- Graphs can be dividedinto “quadrants”

- In a Cartesian graph or “plane”, There are 2 axes:

-- The X-axis is horizontal -- The Y-axis is vertical

X and Y values may be either positive (+) or negative (-) dependingon the quadrant in which they are located.

Quadrant IQuadrant II

Quadrant III Quadrant IV

Graph Principles

These same principles can be applied to latitude and longitude.

Quadrant IQuadrant II

Quadrant III Quadrant IV

A pair of numbers, one number representing a position along the X-axis, and the other number representing position along the Y-axis, are called coordinates

Example: The coordinates (3, 4) would be plotted in Quadrant I

The point at coordinate (0, 0) is called the origin

The X-axis is the Equator and the Y-axis which runsthrough Greenwich, England is the Prime Meridian.

Equator Prime Meridian

On a map, horizontal lines are called lines of Latitude and...

Vertical lines are called lines of Longitude.

To help recall “which is which…” Just remember that

“Lat is Flat!”

Latitude is given as distance North or South of the Equator

Longitude is given as distance East or West of the Prime Meridian

The origin point (00, 00) is where the Equator and the Prime Meridian intersect

The coordinate (00, 00) is in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast.

(00, 00)

Latitude and Longitude Units

Latitude and Longitude UnitsDegrees, Minutes, Seconds

• The primary unit for latitude and longitude is degrees (°) There are 360° of longitude (180° E to 180° W) and 180° of

latitude (90° N to 90° S).

Any location north of the equator is a NORTH LATITUDE

Northern Latitudes

Any location south of the equator is a SOUTH LATITUDE

Southern Latitudes

Any location west of the Prime Meridian is a WEST LONGITUDE

Western Longitudes

Any location east of the Prime Meridian is an EAST LONGITUDE

Eastern Longitudes

In Which Quadrant Are These Coordinates Located?

1. 41°N, 21°E

2. 37°N, 76°W

3. 72°S, 141°W

4. 7°S, 23°W

5. 15°N, 29°E

6. 34°S, 151°E

A B

C D

Check Your Answers!1. B

2. A3. C4. C5. B6. D

Latitude and Longitude UnitsDegrees, Minutes, Seconds

Each Degree can be broken into 60 minutes (')

Each Minute can be further divided into 60 seconds (")

*Realize that these are NOT units of time but actually represent angles or “arcs”

Example: N35° 43' 9" translates to 35 degrees, 43 minutes and 9 seconds North of the Equator

W115° 32' 20" translates to 115 degrees, 32 minutes and 20 seconds West of the Prime Meridian

Plotting Latitude and Longitude• Given a set of coordinates,

an exact location can be located on a map

• For example, in the diagram, the airport symbol is located at coordinates:

N36° 47.5' , W121° 38.0'

(that is 36 degrees, 47.5 minutes North of the Equator; 121 degrees, 38 minutes West of the Prime Meridian)

The location is simply the intersection of the latitude and longitude lines.

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.

• In the United States, all latitudes are N (north), and all longitudes are W (west).

As with anything else you learn you, will get better with practice.........

SO PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Practice PlottingAccomplish the Practice Plotting Sheets

For more information on Latitude and Longitude, see the links below:

http://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/latlong.php

http://ozoneaq.gsfc.nasa.gov/latlon.md