* Longitude: Imagine slicing the Earth like an orange, with each slice representing a line of longitude. These lines run from the North Pole to the South Pole, measuring distances east or west of the Prime Meridian (which runs through Greenwich, England). Each line of longitude is called a meridian, and they are numbered from 0° to 180° east and west.
* Latitude: Now imagine cutting the orange horizontally, creating circles that run around the Earth. These circles are lines of latitude, measuring distances north or south of the Equator (the imaginary line that divides the Earth in half). They are numbered from 0° (Equator) to 90° north and south.
Finding Absolute Location:
1. Identify the Latitude: Determine how many degrees north or south of the Equator a specific location is.
2. Identify the Longitude: Determine how many degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian the location is.
By combining the latitude and longitude coordinates, you get the absolute location of a point on Earth. It's like saying, "This place is 40° North and 74° West," which precisely identifies a spot in New York City.
Think of it this way: Latitude and longitude are like the address of a place on Earth.
