A degree of latitude is approximately____ miles at the equator and ____ miles at the poles. A degree of longitude is approximately__________ miles at the equator and ___ miles at the poles.
I'm really confused i don't understand it at all HELP!!
A degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles whether it's at the poles or at the equator.
A degree of longitude is about 69 miles at the equator and 0 degrees at the poles.
Check this site for more information.
http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_latlong.html
No worries, I can help clear up your confusion!
A degree of latitude is a measure of distance north or south of the equator. It is always approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) at any location on Earth. So, whether you're at the equator or the poles, a degree of latitude will always be approximately 69 miles.
On the other hand, a degree of longitude is a measure of distance east or west of the Prime Meridian (which runs through Greenwich, London). The distance covered by a degree of longitude varies based on your location.
At the equator, the Earth's circumference is approximately 24,901 miles (40,075 kilometers). Since there are 360 degrees of longitude in a full circle, a degree of longitude at the equator is approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers).
At the poles, the Earth's circumference is much smaller, as the lines of longitude converge towards the poles. Therefore, the length of a degree of longitude decreases as you move towards the poles. At the poles, a degree of longitude is essentially zero, as the lines of longitude converge.
So, to summarize:
- A degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) at any location.
- A degree of longitude is approximately 69 miles (111 kilometers) at the equator, but the distance decreases as you move towards the poles. At the poles, a degree of longitude is essentially zero.
I hope this helps clarify things for you! Let me know if you have any further questions.
Understanding degrees of latitude and longitude can be a bit confusing at first, but let me explain it to you step by step.
Latitude measures distance north or south of the Equator, while longitude measures distance east or west of the Prime Meridian. The Earth is divided into 360 degrees of longitude and 180 degrees of latitude.
Distance between Degrees of Latitude:
The Earth's circumference is approximately 24,901 miles. Since there are 360 degrees of latitude in a full circle, each degree of latitude represents approximately 69.17 miles.
At the Equator, which is 0 degrees latitude, the distance between each degree of latitude remains approximately 69.17 miles.
As you move closer to the poles, the distance between degrees of latitude decreases. At the poles, each degree of latitude represents a very small distance approaching zero.
Distance between Degrees of Longitude:
The Earth's circumference is also divided into 360 degrees of longitude. However, unlike latitude, the distance between degrees of longitude is not consistent and depends on the distance from the Equator.
At the Equator, the distance between each degree of longitude is also approximately 69.17 miles, which is similar to the distance between degrees of latitude.
However, as you move towards the poles, the distance between degrees of longitude decreases. At the poles, the distance between each degree of longitude approaches zero, as the lines of longitude converge.
To summarize, a degree of latitude is approximately 69.17 miles at the Equator, and at the poles, the distance between degrees of latitude becomes very small. A degree of longitude is also approximately 69.17 miles at the Equator, but it decreases as you move towards the poles, eventually approaching zero.
I hope this explanation helps clarify the concept of degrees of latitude and longitude for you! Let me know if you have any further questions.