Define latitude and longitude in simple terms.

• A. Latitude measures distance north-south; longitude measures distance east-west.
• B. Latitude measures distance east-west; longitude measures distance north-south.
• C. Latitude is height above sea level; longitude is depth below deck.
• D. Latitude is time zones; longitude is weather systems.

Answer: (A)

Latitude describes how far north or south you are on Earth, measured in degrees from the equator, with 0° at the equator and ±90° at the poles. Longitude describes how far east or west you are, measured in degrees from the Prime Meridian, with 0° at Greenwich and up to ±180°. Latitudes run east–west around the globe and stay parallel, while longitudes run from pole to pole and converge at the poles. So the best summary is that latitude measures distance north-south and longitude measures distance east-west. Other choices mix up directions or bring in elevation, depth, time zones, or weather, which aren’t how we specify location on the globe.