Geographical Coordinate Systems Quiz

Study Notes

Understanding Geographical Coordinates System (GCS) and Latitude vs Longitude

The Geographical Coordinates System (GCS) is defined and measured based on angular distances, solving the problem of representing the Earth's oblate spheroid on a flat map.
GCS coordinates are based on angles created with reference to the center of the Earth, the equator, and the prime meridian, using latitude and longitude to define positions on or above the Earth's surface.
Latitude and longitude are both involved in defining specific positions on Earth's surface, with latitude referencing the equator and longitude referencing the prime meridian.
Latitude measures angular distance north or south in reference to the equator, while longitude measures angular distance east or west in reference to the prime meridian.
The equator is the longest and most central latitude line, designated as 0-degrees latitude and separating the Earth's north and south hemispheres.
The prime meridian is an arbitrarily assigned reference line, designated as 0-degrees longitude, from which longitudes east and west are measured, separating the eastern and western hemispheres.
Elevation is a measurement that refers to a position's 90-degree vertical distance from sea level, with sea level defined as 0 meters of elevation.
Latitude and longitude are measured in degrees, minutes, and seconds, with specific equivalencies for each unit of measurement, taking into account the Earth's oblate spheroid shape.
1-degree latitude is approximately equal to 364,000 feet or 110,947 meters, while 1-degree longitude is approximately equal to 288,200 feet or 87,843 meters.
The Earth's equator is an imaginary circle that wraps around the Earth, perpendicular to the Earth's rotational axis, and the prime meridian runs through Greenwich, England.
Understanding latitude and longitude requires defining the equator and prime meridian, as angles are defined in reference to these points, with latitude measuring north or south and longitude measuring east or west.
GCS uses angles to define positions on Earth, with latitude and longitude providing a precise location, and elevation is measured as a vertical distance from sea level.