Latitude, longitude and the equator

Imaginary lines on Earth that help us locate places using coordinates

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Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
Which type of line runs horizontally around the Earth? A) Lines of latitude B) Lines of longitude C) The Prime Meridian D) Time zones
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2
True or false? The equator is at 0 degrees latitude. A) True B) False
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3
Complete the sentence about the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian is at 0 degrees longitude and runs through ___.
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4
Lines of longitude run between which two points? A) The North Pole and the South Pole B) East to west around the Earth C) Around the equator only D) Between London and New York
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5
Match each term to its meaning. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: Latitude, Longitude, Equator, Prime Meridian Right: Horizontal lines, 0 to 90 degrees N/S, Vertical lines, 0 to 180 degrees E/W, 0 degrees latitude, 0 degrees longitude
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6
London is approximately at 51 degrees N, 0 degrees W. What does the 51 degrees N tell us? A) London is 51 degrees north of the equator B) London is 51 degrees east of Greenwich C) London is 51 hours ahead of New York D) London has 51 time zones
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7
True or false? New York is at approximately 40 degrees N, 74 degrees W. A) True B) False
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8
Coordinates are always written in which order? A) Latitude first, then longitude B) Longitude first, then latitude C) East first, then north D) Either order is fine
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9
A place at 0 degrees N, 0 degrees E would be located... A) Where the equator and Prime Meridian cross, in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa B) At the North Pole C) In central London D) At the South Pole
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10
True or false? Lines of longitude all have the same length. A) True B) False
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Answer key

Latitude, longitude and the equator · for parents and teachers

1
Lines of latitude
Lines of latitude run horizontally (east to west) around the Earth, parallel to the equator.
2
True
The equator is the line of latitude at 0 degrees. It splits the Earth into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
3
Greenwich
The Prime Meridian (0 degrees longitude) runs through Greenwich in London. It divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
4
The North Pole and the South Pole
Lines of longitude (meridians) run vertically from the North Pole to the South Pole. They are widest at the equator.
5
Latitude → Horizontal lines, 0 to 90 degrees N/S; Longitude → Vertical lines, 0 to 180 degrees E/W; Equator → 0 degrees latitude; Prime Meridian → 0 degrees longitude
Latitude is measured 0 to 90 degrees north or south of the equator. Longitude is measured 0 to 180 degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian.
6
London is 51 degrees north of the equator
Coordinates are written as (latitude, longitude). 51 degrees N means London is 51 degrees of latitude north of the equator.
7
True
New York City sits at roughly 40 degrees N latitude and 74 degrees W longitude, west of the Prime Meridian.
8
Latitude first, then longitude
Coordinates are always given as (latitude, longitude). Latitude tells you how far north or south you are, longitude how far east or west.
9
Where the equator and Prime Meridian cross, in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa
The point at (0,0) is in the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of West Africa. Although Greenwich is at 0 degrees longitude, it is at about 51 degrees N.
10
True
True. All lines of longitude run from pole to pole, so they are equal in length.