Question.
What are coordinates? How can latitude and longitude be used to mark any location on the Earth?
( Chapter 1, Locating Places on the Earth)
Answer.
Coordinates are a set of values that allow us to find specific locations in a given space/region.
In the case of Earth, Coordinates help in locating any place on the Earth.
Latitude and longitude are the two main components of the coordinate system, which help in finding geographic locations:
Latitude:
Latitude measures how far north or south a location is from the Equator. Latitude lines run parallel to the Equator and range from 0° at the Equator to 90° north or south at the poles.
For example, the latitude of New Delhi is approximately 28.7° N.
Longitude:
Longitude measures how far east or west a location is from the Prime Meridian, which runs from the North to the South Pole through Greenwich, England.
Longitude lines run perpendicular to the latitude lines and range from 0° at the Prime Meridian to 180° east or west.
For example, New Delhi's longitude is about 77.2° E.
By combining these two values, you get a precise location.
Together, these coordinates create a grid system that covers the Earth's surface, allowing any location to be uniquely identified by its latitude and longitude values.
For example, the coordinates 28.7° N, and 77.2 ° E uniquely identify New Delhi.
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