how latitude and longitude coordinates are used to locate positions on earth?

Answer 1

By basic geometry. The answer is both simple and complex, depending on much 3D geometry you know.

By convention, circles and spheres have 360°, so cartographers have established a grid system on the earth's surface referenced to degrees called lines of latitude and longitude.

Latitude is the distance measured parallel to the earth's axis of rotation on the surface of the earth. The distance in angular degrees is measured perpendicular (north-south) to the lines which are east-west. Zero is at the equator, 90°N is at the north pole and 90°S is at the south pole.

Longitude is the angular east-west distance from a reference point in Greenwich, England called the Prime Meridian. The maximum longitude is 180° which is opposite Greenwich, in the Pacific Ocean just west of the Hawaiian islands. The distance in angular degrees is measured perpendicular (east-west) to the lines which run north-south.

In order to find a point on the earth's surface, two numbers are required - the latitude and longitude, and both have to provide N-S and E-W respectively. The latitude is determined in reference to the equator, and the longitude is determined in reference to Greenwich. The numbers wil be given in the format of ddmmss or dd.dddd. To be technically correct, latitude should always be given in two digits before the decimal point (eg 09S or 64N) and longitude should be given as three digits (eg 009E or 136W).

This will make a lot more sense if you get a globe which will show the lines. You will see that North America is W longitude-N latitude, mainland Europe is E longitude-N latitude, and Australia is E longitude-S latitude. You will also see that the lines are perpendicular, lines of latitude are parallel and always the same distance part, and lines of longitude converge at the poles. That's because the earth is a sphere and its not possible to plot a square grid on a curved surface.

Hope that helps!

Answer 2

use the scale on the map and correspond them. its very simple