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Latitude
Interactive diagram

Longitude
Interactive diagram

Latitude and Longitude
Activity

Questions for thought

1. Which coordinate gives us information about east-west position - latitude or longitude?
2. What is the name of the reference or zero line for latitude? for longitude?
3. Is the Earth's equatorial plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation or does it mark the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun?
4. Which geographic reference is defined by people rather than the position and motion of the Earth in space?
5. Being able to determine one of the two coorindates - latitude or longitude, was not readily doable until about the time of American Independence. Which? And what key technology made it possible?
6. Latitude and longitude are the two coordinates that determine a specific point on the Earth's surface. How does knowing the location of a point help us make maps?
7. What are the uses and purposes of maps? What do they show?
8. How is a point on Mars defined?
9. Do different map projections use the same coordinate information for features on the Earth's surfaces or require a different set?

The meanings of words

1. In this context, is the word coordinate a verb or a noun?

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