Which direction does longitude run?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the orientation of lines of longitude on the Earth's surface, specifically in which direction they are oriented.
Answer
north to south from pole to pole
Lines of longitude run north to south from pole to pole.
Answer for screen readers
Lines of longitude run north to south from pole to pole.
More Information
Lines of longitude, also called meridians, measure the distance east or west from the Prime Meridian, which is located at Greenwich, England.
Tips
A common mistake is to think that lines of longitude run east to west. However, they measure the east-west distance but run north to south.
Sources
- Understanding Latitude and Longitude - Journey North - journeynorth.org
- Longitude - National Geographic Education - education.nationalgeographic.org
- Facts about Longitude - NOAA - oceanservice.noaa.gov