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.

1. Point A: 125°30'W, 10°30'S
2. Point B: 123°30'W, 11°30'S
3. 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.