Longitude and latitude - USA

Longitude and latitude are crucial concepts in geography that help us pinpoint exact locations on the Earth's surface. After exploring an educational resource, students are asked to gather five key facts about both longitude and latitude. These geographic coordinates are a global standard for navigation and mapping. In relation to the tropics, they are the regions of the Earth surrounding the Equator, specifically between the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere and the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere. The Greenwich Meridian, also known as the Prime Meridian, is a vital reference point for longitude and is used as the starting point for time zones. It holds significant importance as it separates the eastern and western hemispheres.

Students are also tasked with finding the latitude and longitude of various US cities including New York, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, and San Francisco. Understanding longitude is essential for comprehending time zones, which are particularly important in a country as vast as the USA. With nine different time zones across the nation, the time varies significantly from coast to coast. This is in contrast to the UK, which spans approximately 500 km from west to east and thus has only one time zone. The USA's breadth of over 4500 km from west to east necessitates the use of multiple time zones to accommodate the wide range of local solar times. These geographical and time zone distinctions underscore the diverse human and physical features that characterise the USA, from its bustling cities to its natural landscapes.