How To Find Coordinates On A Map

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Latitude and longitude are measurements of location on the world. If you know how to read latitude and longitude on a map, you can make up one's mind the geographic coordinates of any spot on the map. While online maps get in easy to make up one's mind latitude and longitude with the click of a button, sometimes it is helpful to know how to do it on newspaper. In order to read latitude and longitude correctly, you must showtime understand the basic concepts backside these measurements. Once y'all have the basics down, larn how to identify latitude and longitude markers on a map and pinpoint verbal locations.

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Go familiar with the concept of latitude. Latitude is a measure of distance north or s of the equator, which is an imaginary horizontal line around the exact mid-point of the earth between the two poles. The globe is divided up into 180 latitude lines on either side of the equator, called parallels. These parallels run horizontally around the earth, parallel to the equator. xc of them are north of the equator, while the other 90 are south of information technology.^[one]
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Learn the definition of longitude. Longitude is a measure of distance east or due west of an imaginary vertical line that runs downwards the exterior of the globe from the North Pole to the Southward Pole, called the prime summit. The prime meridian could have been chosen to be anywhere, merely there is an international agreement that the tiptop that runs through Greenwich, England, is considered the official prime meridian, with 0° longitude. Longitude lines are a series of vertical lines from North Pole to the South Pole, also called meridians because every place touched past the same meridian take midday at the same fourth dimension. There are 360 meridians on either side of the prime number peak, with 180 of them located east of the prime meridian, and the other 180 located to the west of it.^[two]
- The summit on the opposite side of the earth from the prime summit is chosen the anti-top.^[iii]
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Examine the units of measurement used for latitude and longitude. The measurements of latitude and longitude are commonly expressed in degrees (°), minutes (′), or seconds (″). The entire distance from one parallel to another or i meridian to another is 1°. To produce fifty-fifty more authentic measurements, each degree can be further divided up into threescore minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds (for a total of iii,600 seconds per degree).^[4]
- Latitude and longitude are measured in degrees rather than absolute units of measurement (such as miles or kilometers) considering the Earth is spherical. While the distance between degrees of breadth is constant (60 nautical miles or 111.12 km), the Earth's shape causes the distance between degrees of longitude to decrease as you approach the poles.^[5]
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Measure out latitude and longitude relative to the 0 point. When measuring breadth in either direction, the equator is considered the starting point, at 0° latitude. Too, the prime number elevation is the starting point for measures of longitude, representing 0° longitude. Every measure of latitude or longitude is expressed in terms of how far it is from the origin point in either direction.^[6]
- For instance, the Northward Pole is at 90°N, significant it is xc° north of the equator.
- The antimeridian is at 180° either east or west from the prime meridian.
- The Nifty Sphinx of Giza in Egypt is located at 29°58′31″N, 31°viii′fifteen″East. This ways it is just under 30° northward of the equator in latitude, and almost 31° east of the prime number meridian in longitude.
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Find a map with latitude and longitude lines. Non all maps indicate latitude and longitude. Y'all are most likely to find them on maps of large areas, such every bit atlas maps, or on smaller maps that are designed to reflect the terrain extremely accurately, such equally topographic maps. If you are in the US, detailed topographic maps of about regions are available through the US Geological Survey.
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Pinpoint the location you are interested in. Accept expect at the map, and locate the feature or area for which you lot would like to know the coordinates. Mark the verbal spot you are interested in with a pin or a pencil marking.
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Locate the latitude and longitude markers. Latitude is indicated on a map by a series of evenly-spaced horizontal lines running from one side of the map to the other, while longitude is indicated by a series of evenly-spaced vertical lines running from top to lesser. Look for numbers along the edges of the map giving coordinates for each line. These numbers are called "graticules."^[7]
- Latitude graticules are marked forth the east and west edges of the map. Longitude graticules are marked on the northward and s edges.
- Depending on the scale of your map, the graticules may marker fractions of degrees rather than whole degrees. For instance, there may be a Graticule marked at every minute inside a degree instead of every degree (e.g., 32°0′, 32°1′, so on).
- The map should also indicate where the latitude and longitude depicted are relative to the equator and prime meridian, respectively (e.k., North or Due south, East or Westward).
- Take care non to confuse the latitude and longitude lines with UTM lines, another type of grid coordinate system frequently found on maps. UTM numbers are usually marked in a smaller text (and without degree symbols) forth the edges of the map, and UTM gridlines may exist marked in a different color from latitude and longitude lines.
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Use a ruler to mark the latitude of your point. Take a ruler and a pencil and marker a level horizontal line from your point to the nearest due east or west edge of the map. Brand sure your line is parallel to the nearest latitude line on the map.
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Draw another line to marking the longitude of the signal. Starting from the same point, use the ruler and pencil to draw a straight vertical line to the nearest n or due south edge of the map. Make sure your line is parallel to the closest longitude line.
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Estimate the latitude and longitude of your point using the graticules. Depending on the scale of the map, you may be able to guess the coordinates of your point downwards to the 2nd. Wait at where your latitude and longitude lines intersect the coordinate lines on the edge of the map, and gauge the coordinates past their position relative to the closest graticules.
- If your map shows seconds, detect the second closest to where each line intersects the latitude or longitude calibration at the edge of the map. For case, if your latitude line falls virtually 5″ above the 32°20′Due north line, your indicate is at a latitude of approximately 32°twenty′five″Northward.
- If your map shows minutes, merely not seconds, then yous can estimate your latitude or longitude to inside half dozen seconds by dividing the space between each graticule into 10ths. If your longitude line falls near ii/10 to the left of the 120°xiv′E line, then the longitude is roughly 120°xiv′12″E.
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Put your measurements together to decide the coordinates. Geographic coordinates are the place where the latitude and longitude lines converge on a single bespeak. Look at the numbers you got for the breadth and longitude of your indicate, and put them together (eastward.thou., 32°twenty′five″N, 120°14′12″Eastward).^[viii]

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Question

How do you read latitude and longitude on a map?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Reply

Use a map with latitude and longitude lines and pinpoint the location you're trying to find coordinates for. Notice the latitude and longitude markers, and use a ruler and a pencil to draw a line from your point to the nearest east or west edge of the map. Then, draw a vertical line from your point to the nearest north or southward border of the map. Then, take the numbers you got for the breadth and longitude of your indicate and put them together. For example, you could end upward with 32°20′5″Northward, 120°xiv′12″E as your coordinates.
Question

How do I observe my exact coordinates?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Answer

If you've got a smartphone, yous can become to Google Maps and find your exact coordinates. If you lot're using a map with longitude and latitude lines, stick a pin where you're located. Then, describe a direct horizontal line from your point to the e or west edge of the map. And so, draw a vertical line from your location to the n or southward border of the map. Put together the two coordinates to find your position.
Question

Is latitude vertical or horizontal?

Drew Hawkins1

Community Respond

Latitude lines run horizontally across the Earth and are parallel to the equator. They tin can also be chosen parallels of breadth. Longitude lines run from n to south and are perpendicular to the equator. An easy way to recollect which is which is to think of longitude as "long" like hair that hangs down. Longitude lines hang down over the Earth from north to south and breadth run beyond it, parallel to the equator.

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Article Summary 10

Latitude and longitude are measurements of location on the globe. To observe latitude on a map, look for a series of evenly-spaced horizontal lines with numbers along the edges. Alternatively, to find longitude, look for a series of vertical lines from the North Pole to the South Pole. When y'all're ready to put your knowledge to the test, pick the location you're interested in. And then, find the latitude and longitude markers that run forth the top and side of the map. Utilize a ruler to make a line going upward and some other ane going to the side of the point to marking the measurements for your location. To acquire how to put your measurements together to find the coordinates of your location, keep reading!

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