what are longitudes

Longitudes are imaginary lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole and help show how far east or west a place is from the Prime Meridian. They’re measured in degrees and used with latitude to pinpoint locations on Earth.

Quick Scoop

• The Prime Meridian is 0∘0^\circ 0∘ longitude and passes through Greenwich, England.

• Longitude lines are called meridians, and they converge at the poles.

• Places east of the Prime Meridian are marked with E , and places west are marked with W.

• Longitude is a key part of maps and GPS coordinates.

Easy way to picture it

If latitude is like the Earth’s horizontal “slices,” longitude is like vertical “orange slices” around the globe. Together, they let you describe an exact spot, such as a city or a ship at sea.

Example

New York City is around 40.712°N, 74.005°W , which means the latitude tells how far north it is, and the longitude tells how far west it is from the Prime Meridian.

If you want, I can also explain the difference between latitude and longitude in one simple diagram-style comparison.