Page 2: Longitudinal Extent and Coordinate Calculations
This page delves deeper into the concept of longitudinal extent and provides examples of how to calculate and interpret more complex geographic coordinates.
Definition: Longitudinal extent refers to the east-west distance between two points on Earth's surface, measured in degrees of longitude.
The page illustrates several key points:
- Longitudinal extent can be calculated by adding the absolute values of eastern and western coordinates.
- When working with coordinates, it's essential to pay attention to the hemisphere indicators (N, S, E, W).
- Coordinates can be expressed with varying levels of precision, including degrees, minutes, and seconds.
Example: The page demonstrates a calculation of longitudinal extent: 10°W + 10°E = 20° total longitudinal extent
The page also provides practice exercises for reading geographic coordinates and determining precise locations:
Highlight: The exercises on this page are excellent for practicing how to read geographic coordinates and how to calculate geographic coordinates with minutes.
- Point A: 125°30'W, 10°30'S
- Point B: 123°30'W, 11°30'S
- Point C: 126°W, 10°S
These exercises reinforce the importance of accuracy when working with geographic coordinates and provide valuable practice for students learning to interpret and use this system.
Vocabulary:
- Minutes: Subdivisions of a degree, with 60 minutes in one degree
- Seconds: Further subdivisions, with 60 seconds in one minute
Understanding these concepts is crucial for various applications, including creating geographic coordinate maps, using geographic coordinate exercises, and solving geographic coordinate problems.
