EARTH

AS A
SPHERE

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE

The coordinate system that we use to

locate places on Earth is the terrestrial
system. The coordinates in the
terrestrial system are Latitude and
Longitude.
e.g:
Kuala Lumpur ( 3 8 N , 10142 E )

LONGITUDE

Longitude, denoted symbolically by the

Greek letter Lambda, is divided in
meridians (not parallel to each other, they
converge at the poles), which are
measured in degrees East or West of the
Prime Meridian, also known as Greenwich
Meridian The Prime Meridian serves as a
starting point for the measurement of
degrees in either East or West directions.
It marks longitude 0.

LONGITUDE

LONGITUDE
The Prime Meridian is the
meridian (line of longitude) at
which the longitude is defined
to be 0.
The Prime Meridian and its
opposite the 180th meridian (at
180 longitude), which the
International Date Line
generally follows, form a
great circle that divides the
Earth into the Eastern and
Western Hemispheres.

LONGITUDE

LONGITUDE

Another meridian of great importance is

the Dateline Merdian, which marks
longitude 180 (either E or W). This
meridian is the exact oposite of the
Prime Meridian on the globe.

LONGITUDE
Meridian
is one half of a great circle joining the
North and South Poles.
Longitude of a meridian
- is determined by the angle between its
plane and the plane for GM , either to
the east or to the west of the GM.

LONGITUDE
150 E

LONGITUDE
Meridians that are opposite to
each other and form a great
circle, have longitudes
x E and ( 180 x) W
or x W and (180-x) E
- Great circle is a circle with
centre at the centre of the
Earth.

Longitude

The Difference between Two

Longitudes

If longitudes X and Y are on the same

side of the GM, then the difference
between X and Y is ( X Y).
If the longitudes X and Y are on the
different sides of the GM , then the
difference between X and Y is ( X + Y )

Longitude

LATITUDE

LATITUDE

Parallels of latitude are circles on the surface of

the Earth, parallel to the equator and labeled
according to their angular distance from the
equator.
Parallel of
latitudes is NOT
a great circle !

LATITUDE
Latitude is the angle
subtended by a meridian
at the centre of the earth
beginning from the
equator to the parallel of
latitude which is either to
the North or to the South
of the Equator.

LATITUDE

LATITUDE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO
LATITUDES
If latitudes X and Y are on the same side of
the Equator, then the difference between X
and Y is ( X Y).
If the latitudes X and Y are on the different
sides of the Equator , then the difference
between X and Y is ( X + Y )

LATITUDE
Calculate the difference
between the latitudes
below
i. Latitudes 70N and
64N
ii. Latitudes 64N and
55S

LOCATION OF A PLACE
The location of a
place is determined
by its latitude and
longitude. Based on
the diagram state
the location s of A ,
B ,C , D and E

LOCATION OF A PLACE

DISTANCE ON THE SURFACE OF

THE EARTH.

The distance between two places on the

surface of the Earth is measured in
nautical miles.
1 is equal to 60 nautical miles.
Any two points on a sphere is always
connected by a circular path.
The shortest distance between two
points is the distance taken along the
great circle.

BIG
FAT
LIE!

DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS

ALONG THE MERIDIAN
Distance of two points on the
surface of the Earth measured
along the meridian ( same
longitude, different latitude) is
given by
= ( the difference in latitude X 60 )
= ( 60 )

DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS

ALONG THE MERIDIAN
Given that P(60N,30 W)
and Q ( 40 S , 30W) ,
find the distance of PQ
measured along the
meridian.
Answer:
Distance = ( 60 + 40 ) 60
= 100 x 60
= 6000 nautical miles.

DISTANCE BETWEEN TWO POINTS

ALONG THE MERIDIAN
In the diagram , A ( 45N ,
30E) and B are two points
on the surface of the earth.
Given that the distance
between A and B is 4800
nm measured along the
longitude 30E . Find the
location of B

DISTANCE ALONG THE EQUATOR

The distance between points P
and Q on the Equator ( same
latitude, different longitude) is
equivalent to the angle at the
centre of the earth POQ, in
minutes.
= (difference in longitude ) x 60

DISTANCE ALONG THE EQUATOR

Example:
Given that P( 0, 124W) , Q (0, 72W)
and R( 0, 27 E ). Calculate the
distance between
i. P and Q
ii. Q and R

DISTANCE ALONG THE EQUATOR

Example;
Given that P(0, 160W) and the
distance between P and Q measured
along the Equator is 5400 n.m. Find all
the possible locations of Q.

Relation Between Radius of the

Earth and Radius of a Parallel of
Latitude
OP = OQ = R
AQ is parallel to OP
POQ = OQA ( alternate
angle of two parallel lines)
By trigonometric ratio ,
Cos =

r
R

Therefore,

r = R Cos

Relation between the Lengths of

Arcs on the Equator and Parallels
of Latitude
-Let r be the radius of the parallel of
latitude and R be the radius of the
Equator.
-Then , the circumference of the parallel
latitude is 2r and the circumference of
the Equator is 2R

Relation between lengths of Arc

on the Equator and parallels of
latitude

Distance along the parallel of

latitude
Distance of PQ = MN (Cos )
= MON 60 Cos
= Diff. in long of PQ 60 Cos(lat of PQ)
eg: Find the distance between
P( 60N, 35W) and
Q( 60N, 45 E).

Find the distance between P( 60N,

35W) and Q( 60N, 45 E).

//
Dist. of PQ = (diff. in longitude) 60 Cos
= (35 + 45 ) 60 Cos 60
= 2400
Distance of PQ = 2400 n.m

SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN

TWO POINTS

The shortest distance between two

points on the surface of the Earth is the
arc on the great circle that passes
through the two points.
The Equator and all circles passing
through the North and South Poles are
great circles.

SHORTEST DISTANCE

a. Along the meridian ( same

longitude )

b. Along the Equator

SHORTEST DISTANCE
Distance of two points that passing
through the North/South Poles
* P and Q are on the same great
circle
*The difference in longitudes = 180
The shortest distance of PQ
= ( POQ = ) x 60
= ( 180 - lat P lat Q) 60

Shortest Distance

Calculate the shortest distance between

P ( 48N, 45E) and Q( 53N, 135W).
= 180
PQ ( shortest distance through North pole)
= (180 48 53) x 60
= 4740
= 4740 n.m