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Hey there! Ready to become a global explorer? Let's learn how two sets of imaginary lines help us find any spot on Earth!
Imagine Earth is a giant puzzle. To find a single point on this round ball, mapmakers created a grid system. This grid uses two types of imaginary lines: latitude and longitude.
Lines of latitude run east to west, wrapping around the Earth like hula hoops. The biggest hoop is the Equator, which sits right in the middle at 0 degrees, dividing the world into north and south halves.
Lines of longitude run from the top of the world to the bottom, connecting the North Pole to the South Pole. The starting line is the Prime Meridian at 0 degrees, which divides the Earth into east and west halves.
When we put these lines together, they cross each other to make a grid. Every single place on Earth has its own address made of two numbers: its latitude coordinate and its longitude coordinate.
Let's find the coordinates for a mystery city! This city is located at 30 degrees North (latitude) and 90 degrees West (longitude). How do we use our map skills to locate it?
- First, look at the latitude value: 30 degrees North. Start at the Equator (0 degrees) and move up (North) to the line marked 30°N.
- Next, look at the longitude value: 90 degrees West. Start at the Prime Meridian (0 degrees) and move left (West) along the equator to the line marked 90°W.
- Follow both lines with your fingers until they cross each other.
- Find the city where the lines meet. At 30°N and 90°W, your fingers will land right on New Orleans, Louisiana!