Question

How can we use latitude and longitude to find exact locations on Earth?

Answer 1

Hint: Latitudes are imaginary lines that run parallel to the equator. And, longitudes are imaginary lines that run from the North pole to the South pole. They form a grid-like structure on the globe.

Complete answer: The equator divides the Earth into two halves: the Northern hemisphere and the Southern hemisphere. Parallels of latitude divide the hemispheres into 90 degrees each. Smaller divisions are also possible, for example: 60 degrees 7 minutes N or 35 degrees 5 minutes S.

On the other hand, the Greenwich Meridian divides the globe into two hemispheres: Eastern and Western. The parallels of longitude are all of the same length, unlike the latitudes, and connect the two poles.

These two lines intersect throughout the globe and form a grid like structure. When we have the exact values of the latitudes and the longitudes, we can note where they are intersecting. That particular point of intersection will be the exact place we are looking for.

Note: Try locating a place on a map. You would see that when you get the coordinates of that place (or the values of the parallels of latitude and the meridians of longitude), you get hands of the precise location of that place.