Which way would the plane fly for the shortest distance, east or west?
2007-11-04 13:32:45 · 5 answers · asked by Marie 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
You would fly a great circle route over the arctic.
If you go to Google earth and measure the distance (you have to revolve the earth by the arrows, not by dragging, and then move the end point of the ruler line.
If you use Miami and Bejing you will go 7725 miles and the route out of Miami goes NNW, over lower Michigan east of Chicago and across Russia.
If you insisted on flying only east or west. Bejing is 116 degrees 13 minutes east and Miami is 80 degrees 8 minutes west, so it is about 144 degrees going west and 196 going east or about 36% further. At Miami's latitude, a degree is about 62.5 miles. At Bejing, about 49.2.
2007-11-04 15:05:06 · answer #1 · answered by Mike1942f 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's probably shortest flying West.
United flies from Chicago directly to Beijing.
2007-11-04 21:40:34 · answer #2 · answered by David B 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Northwest. The polar route, which would take you over Alaska.
This would assume nonstop service from FL to China, but most likely, you'd change planes in Chicago.
2007-11-04 22:48:43 · answer #3 · answered by Barry auh2o 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
continental airlines, and it has shortest route to china :P i been there many times
2007-11-04 21:36:52 · answer #4 · answered by daniel f 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
fly west -- no matter which airline.
2007-11-04 22:21:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋