How much does one change latitude by walking due north one mile, assuming the earth to be a sphere of radius 3956 miles?
2007-06-26 11:17:51 · 4 answers · asked by Giggles 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
180 degrees is 3956*pi miles
1 mile -------- 180/(3956*pi) = 0.01448 degrees or 0° 0' 52.14"
2007-06-26 11:28:19 · answer #1 · answered by gudspeling 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since the circumference of the Earth is 2*Pi*r = 6.28*(3956)
= 24856.3 miles
So from pole to pole, the length is (24856.3)/2 = 12428.1 miles
And there are 180 degrees of latitude from pole to pole.
So
12428.1/180 = 69.04 miles/degree of latitude
Therefore 1mile/69.04miles/deg. lat. = 0.01448 degrees of latitude for a due north mile traveled.
2007-06-26 18:28:26 · answer #2 · answered by Not Eddie Money 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1 degree of latitude is always 60 nautical miles.
1 minute of latitude is 1 nautical mile.
1 second of latitude is 1/60 nautical mile
or about 34 yards.
1 nautical mile = 1.15 statute miles.
.
2007-06-26 18:30:29 · answer #3 · answered by Robert L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
change of latitude, in degrees, dl, is the same fraction of 360° as 1 mile is of 2Ï(3956) miles, so
360/[2ϕ3956] = 0.01448°.
2007-06-26 18:28:54 · answer #4 · answered by Philo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋