What do you mean by geographic coordinate system?

A geographic coordinate system is a system that uses a three-dimensional spherical surface to determine locations on the Earth. Any location on Earth can be referenced by a point with longitude and latitude coordinates. The lines that run north and south each have a constant longitude value and are called meridians .

How far is a geographic second?

Degrees of latitude are divided into 60 minutes. To be even more precise, those minutes are divided into 60 seconds. One minute of latitude covers about 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) and one second of latitude covers about 32 meters (105 feet).

How do you use the geographic coordinate system?

The geographic coordinate system consists of latitude and longitude lines. Each line of longitude runs north–south and measures the number of degrees east or west of the prime meridian. Values range from -180 to +180°. Lines of latitude run east–west and measure the number of degrees north or south of the equator.

Which best explains the shape of the earth?

Which of these statements best explains the shape of the Earth? Because of its rotation about its axis, Earth has a greater circumference around the equator than around the Prime Meridian. Because of its revolution around the sun, Earth has a greater circumference around the equator than around the Prime Meridian.

How many latitude lines are there?

180
Latitude is the measurement of distance north or south of the Equator. It is measured with 180 imaginary lines that form circles around the Earth east-west, parallel to the Equator. These lines are known as parallels. A circle of latitude is an imaginary ring linking all points sharing a parallel.

How far is a geographic minute?

One degree of latitude equals approximately 364,000 feet (69 miles), one minute equals 6,068 feet (1.15 miles), and one-second equals 101 feet. One-degree of longitude equals 288,200 feet (54.6 miles), one minute equals 4,800 feet (0.91 mile), and one second equals 80 feet.

What is the importance of the rectangular coordinate system?

Use the rectangular coordinate system to uniquely identify points in a plane using ordered pairs (x, y). Ordered pairs indicate position relative to the origin. The x-coordinate indicates position to the left and right of the origin. The y-coordinate indicates position above or below the origin.

Which is the most commonly used in geographic coordinate system?

the prime meridian
For most geographic coordinate systems, the prime meridian is the longitude that passes through Greenwich, England. Other countries use longitude lines that pass through Bern, Bogota, and Paris as prime meridians.