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.

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