Which of the following is the BEST explanation of how latitude and longitude allow someone to locate a specific city?
A.
The location is defined by the intersection of the parallels and the lines of latitude, establishing a unique point.
B.
Latitude and longitude allow a person to explain the city’s situation in relationship to Belo Horizonte.
C.
Latitude and longitude rely on the Mercator Projection to represent locations on Earth’s surface.
D.
Latitude and longitude rely on the Robinson Projection to represent locations on Earth’s surface.
E.
The location is defined by the intersection of a circle parallel to the equator and an arc that connects the poles.
E. The location is defined by the intersection of a circle parallel to the equator and an arc that connects the poles. And if you're in search of a city, don't forget to bring your GPS, or else you might end up in the middle of nowhere!
The best explanation for how latitude and longitude allow someone to locate a specific city is option E. The location is defined by the intersection of a circle parallel to the equator and an arc that connects the poles. This is because latitude and longitude coordinates provide a precise measurement of a location's position on the Earth's surface.
To understand latitude and longitude, it is important to know that the Earth is divided into a grid system consisting of lines of latitude (parallel to the equator) and lines of longitude (arc-like lines that connect the poles).
Latitude measures the distance north or south of the equator and is given in degrees. The equator itself is defined as 0 degrees latitude, and as you move north or south, the latitude increases or decreases respectively. Therefore, lines of latitude form circles parallel to the equator, with the poles being at 90 degrees north and south latitude.
Longitude, on the other hand, measures the distance east or west of a prime meridian, which is an imaginary line that runs from the North Pole to the South Pole and passes through Greenwich, England. Similar to latitude, longitude is also given in degrees, and the prime meridian is defined as 0 degrees longitude. As you move east or west from the prime meridian, the longitude value increases or decreases respectively. The complete circle of longitude is formed by 360 degrees, with 180 degrees being on each side of the prime meridian.
By combining the latitude and longitude coordinates of a specific city, you can pinpoint its exact location on the Earth's surface. Latitude provides the north-south positioning, while longitude provides the east-west positioning, resulting in the intersection of that specific city's coordinates on the Earth's grid system.