Geographic Grid
The Geographic Grid
Ptolemy, a Roman mathematician, created the geographic grid. This grid is a system of invisible lines that span the globe. The grid has been used for over 2,000 years as a reference for finding the location of a fixed position on Earth. There are certain components that make up the grid. Meridians run vertically and come together at the north and south poles. The center meridian, the Prime Meridian, divides the earth into eastern and western hemispheres. Parallels run horizontally. The center parallel, the Equator, divides the Earth into the north and south hemispheres. Meridians and parallels are called longitudinal and latitudinal lines, respectively. Although Meridians run in a north-south direction, they determine a location's east-west position. Contrarily, parallels run in an east-west direction and determine the north-south position of a location. Longitudinal and latitudinal lines are measured in degrees. Degrees latitude are numbered from 0° to 90° north and south. Zero degrees is the equator, 90° north is the North Pole and 90° south is the South Pole. Zero degrees longitude is located at Greenwich, England. The degrees continue 180° east and 180° west where they meet at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean. To locate points, degrees longitude and latitude are divided into minutes and seconds. There are 60 minutes in each degree and each minute is divided into 60 seconds. Using all components, the geographic grid ensures that one will be able to locate the exact position of something or someone on
Ptolemy, a Roman mathematician, created the geographic grid. This grid is a system of invisible lines that span the globe. The grid has been used for over 2,000 years as a reference for finding the location of a fixed position on Earth. There are certain components that make up the grid. Meridians run vertically and come together at the north and south poles. The center meridian, the Prime Meridian, divides the earth into eastern and western hemispheres. Parallels run horizontally. The center parallel, the Equator, divides the Earth into the north and south hemispheres. Meridians and parallels are called longitudinal and latitudinal lines, respectively. Although Meridians run in a north-south direction, they determine a location's east-west position. Contrarily, parallels run in an east-west direction and determine the north-south position of a location. Longitudinal and latitudinal lines are measured in degrees. Degrees latitude are numbered from 0° to 90° north and south. Zero degrees is the equator, 90° north is the North Pole and 90° south is the South Pole. Zero degrees longitude is located at Greenwich, England. The degrees continue 180° east and 180° west where they meet at the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean. To locate points, degrees longitude and latitude are divided into minutes and seconds. There are 60 minutes in each degree and each minute is divided into 60 seconds. Using all components, the geographic grid ensures that one will be able to locate the exact position of something or someone on