Longitude and Latitude

Longitude and Latitude are very important to many different people. The easiest way to understand Longitude and Latitude is to know how to work a coordinate grid first.

So here is how to work a coordinate grid:

The first thing to know is that the point is always zero. Then you number it on the vertical side going up and on the horizontal side going to the left as shown.

The next thing that you should learn is that you go over, then up to find the destination, that will be very important to know. Below is an example of how to use one.

Click here if you want to play a coordinate grid game

Now we hope you know how to use a coordinate grid!

Now that you know how to work a coordinate grid you can now go on to the longitude and latitude.

The first thing that you want to learn is that longitude goes from the tip of the north pole to the very bottom of the south pole. Latitude is something different. Latitude is parallel or in other words the lines never touch each other.

The center line of longitude is the Prime Meridian, and the center line of the latitude is the equator.

To work longitude and latitude you must know that the Prime Meridian and the equator are always 0 degrees and the other lines count by 15 degrees.  The longitude lines go all the way up to 180 degrees east or west.  Latitude lines go up to 90 degrees north or south.

To work longitude and latitude you might get the coordinates 60 degrees north and 15 degrees east. First, to get 60 degrees north you go to the latitude and go up to the 60 because you are going north. And to get the 15 degrees east you go to the longitude and go right to the 15 degree line because you are going right to the east.  Where the two lines meet is the spot you are looking for.  You should have ended up in Sweden!

And that is how to work longitude and latitude!