Latitude And Longitude For Hawaii

Latitude and Longitude

What are latitude and longitude?

If the Earth were flat, rectangular coordinates (10,y) would be sufficient to describe the locations of points on its surface. Withal, Earth is a sphere with no sides, and a special frame of reference is needed. The poles of Earth provide this reference frame.

The equator is an imaginary circle around the World located halfway between the due north and south poles. Other lines drawn parallel to the equator but shifted to the north or s are chosen lines of breadth. At the equator the latitude is 0�, halfway to the pole it is 45�, and at the poles it is 90�

Lines running northward/south through the poles are chosen lines of longitude (or meridians). Longitude is the number of degrees east or west of the prime acme (0�) which passes through Greenwich, England.

Locating Hawaii on the Globe

Hawaii is in the northern hemisphere and is located 20� north of the equator and 155� west of the Prime number Superlative (Greenwich, England) every bit shown on the cutaway globe to the right.

Computing the distance between ii points on the Earth's surface

Map of eastern Pacific To the left is a map of the E Pacific body of water between Hawaii and the southwestern U.S. with breadth and longitude marked on its edges. The coordinates of Hawaii (twenty�N, 155�Westward) and Los Angeles (34�Due north, 118�Westward) are labeled. A red line connects these two points.

The altitude between Hawaii and Los Angeles (the red line on the map above) can be calculated from their latitudes and longitudes.

A : Hawaii (20�Northward, 155�W)
B : Los Angeles (34�N, 118�Westward)

Latitude (phi) and longitude (theta) are related to rectangular coordinates (x,y,z) by the relationship

(x,y,z) = (Rsin(theta)cos(xc� - phi), Rsin(theta)sin(90� - phi), Rcos(theta) ) (1)

where R is the radius of the sphere.

Using these concepts, the distance, D, between Hawaii and Los Angeles can be calculated from the formula

D = R (0.7861)

Exam Your Math Skills

Using the formula for D above, summate the altitude between Los Angeles and Hawaii. The radius of the World is R = 6370 km (3960 miles ).

Bank check your answer below, choose the distance closest to your number.