PRIMARY SIX

GEOGRAPHY ILBC

Finding Location
using Latitudes and Longitudes

We have learnt about the basic

You will learn
What latitudes and longitudes are
How to locate places using latitudes
and longitudes
elements of maps and how to measure
distances on maps. Let us now move
on to locating places and features on
maps. On small-scale maps, this is
done by using latitudes and longitudes.

Fig 2.1 Note the latitudes and longitudes on this world map

Latitudes
Latitudes are actually imaginary horizontal lines running in an
east-west direction around the Earth. They cannot be seen on the
actual surface of the Earth.

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The Equator is the 0˚ latitude which divides the Earth into halves:
the upper half and the lower half. The upper half of the Earth from the
Equator to the North Pole is called the Northern Hemisphere while the
lower half from the Equator to the South Pole is called the Southern
Hemisphere. Latitudes are measured in degrees and minutes from
the Equator. In the Northern Hemisphere, the latitudes increase in
value as they move northwards, that is, from 0˚ at the Equator to
90˚ N at the North Pole. Likewise, in the Southern Hemisphere, the
latitudes increase in value as they go southwards, that is, from 0˚ at
the Equator to 90˚ S at the South Pole.

Fig.2.2 All lines of latitudes are given a number between 0˚ and 90˚, either
North(N) or South(S) of the Equator

Longitudes
Longitudes are imaginary lines that run in a north-south direction
from the North Pole to the South Pole on the Earth’s surface. They
are measured in degrees and minutes east or west of the 0˚ longitude
which is called the Prime Meridian or the Greenwich Meridian. It
is called the Greenwich Meridian because it passes through a place
called Greenwich, near London.

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Check this out !

The words ‘latitude’ and ‘longitude’ have Latin

origins. They mean ‘breadth’ and ‘length’
respectively.

Fig. 2.3
The Greenwich Meridian
divides the world into
the Eastern and Western
Hemisphere.

Fig. 2.4
All lines of longitudes
are given a number
between Oº and 180º
either East (E) or West
(W) of the Greenwich
Meridian

Longitudes west of the Greenwich Meridian are measured from

0˚ at the Greenwich Meridian to 180˚ W. Likewise, longitudes that
lie to the east of the Greenwich Meridian are measured from 0˚ to
180˚ E. Both the 180˚ W and 180˚ E are the same line of longitude.
This line lies directly opposite the Greenwich Meridian and is known
as the International Date Line. The International Date Line and the
Greenwich Meridian divide the world into the Western Hemisphere
and the Eastern Hemisphere.
However, the International Date Line does not follow the 180˚
meridian along its entire course. Instead it bends at certain places to
avoid cutting across any land (refer to Fig. 2.5).
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Prime Meridian

Fig. 2.5 The International Date Line and the Prime Meridian

Use of Latitudes and

Longitudes to Locate Places
Latitudes and longitudes cross each
other to form a network of lines or a
grid. This grid makes it possible to
state the exact location of any place
on the Earth’s surface. Imagine
you are on a ship sailing across
the Pacific Ocean and your ship is
sinking. To get help, you need to
radio your location to another ship. Fig . 2.6 Latitudes and longitudes
form a global grid system
If you are at latitude 30˚ north of the
Equator and longitude 10˚ east of the Prime Meridian, you would
radio your position as 30˚ N10˚ E. Note that the latitude comes before
the longitude when describing a location.

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30º N

20º N

10º N

0º
10ºW 0º 10ºE 20ºE 30ºE
Fig. 2.7 The ‘sinking ship’ is located at 30 °N 10°E.

Latitude
An imaginary horizontal line that runs in an east-west direction
around the Earth
Longitude
An imaginary vertical line that runs in a north-south direction on
the Earth’s surface
North Pole
The northernmost point of the Earth
Prime Meridian or Greenwich Meridian
The 0˚ longitude
South Pole
The southernmost point of the Earth

Recap Questions
1 What are latitudes and longitudes?
2 Why is the 0˚ longitude known as the Greenwich
Meridian?

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Finding Location You will learn

using What grid lines, eastings, northings and
Grid References grid references are
How to locate places or features using
four-figure references
How to locate places or features using
six-figure grid references

Besides small-scale maps, we also use large-scale maps which show

details of small areas of the Earth’s surface. Grid references are used
to locate places and features on these maps.

Eastings and Northings

Examine the topographic maps shown in Fig 2.8 and Fig 2.9 on
page 20 and 21. Notice the horizontal and vertical lines on them.
These lines are called grid lines. Together they form a grid which
divides the map into grid squares.

Fig 2.8 An extract from the topographic map of Singapore

The grid lines are numbered along the margins of the map. The
vertical grid lines are called eastings because their numbers increase
eastwards. The horizontal grid lines are called northings because
their numbers increase northwards. A grid reference is a number

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representing the point at which eastings crosses a northing. It is

made up of the number for the northing.
Using grid references, it is possible to describe the location of any
place or feature on a map easily.

Four-figure Grid References

We use a four-figure grid reference to locate the grid square in
which a feature is found.
The following are the steps to take in finding a four-figure grid
reference for a feature.
(i) Locate a grid square where the feature is found.
(ii) Read the easting (vertical lines) for the bottom left corner of the
grid square.
(iii) Read the northing (horizontal line) for the same left corner of the
grid square.
(iv) The four-figure grid reference for the feature is made up of both
the northing.
47
First, read the
number of the line
which runs down
L
46
the left side of the
Northings (up the stars)

square
45

Second, read the num-

44 ber of the line which
runs along the bottom
of the square
43

42
16 17 18 19 20 21
Eastings (along the cooridor)

Fig 2.9 Can you identify the four- figure grid reference where the
lake (L) is located? Using the steps described above, the four-
figure grid reference for lake (L) in fig 2.9 is 1845.

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Check this out !

If you find it difficult to remember the order of the grid
lines when citing a grid reference, try this: the letter ‘E’
comes before the letter ‘N’, so always code easting before
northings.

Six-figure Grid References

You may have noticed that a four-figure grid reference only tells
us the grid where the large feature is found. To find the exact location
of a smaller feature such as a school or a post office, you will need to
use the six-figure grid reference. As its name suggests, six-figure grid
reference has six numbers instead of four.
The following are the steps to take when finding a six-figure grid
reference.
(i) Locate a grid square on the map where the feature is.
(ii) Divide the square into 10 equal parts along easting and the easting
and northing.
(iii) Number the parts from 0 to 9 along both the easting and northing.
(iv) Estimate how far the feature is from the easting and the northing
using the scale in tenths.
(v) Write the value for the easting followed by the northing.

74

73

Fig. 2.10 locating the

PS
Police Station using a
72 six-figure grid reference

71
04 05 06 07

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Using the steps

described above, the
police station in Fig2.10
is located seven-tenths
of the way between
eastings 05 and 06.
Hence, the easting is
057. The police station
is also located two-tenth
of the way between

northing 72 and 73. Hence, the northing is 722. Therefore, the six-
figure grid reference for the police station is 057722.

Eastings Recap Questions

Vertical grid lines
Grid 1. What are grid lines?
2. What are eastings and northings?
A network of grid lines 3. What difficulty would you have in
Grid Lines locating a place on a map which
horizontal and vertical lines does not have grid lines?
4. List the steps needed to locate an
that run across a map
area on a map.
Northings 5. List the steps needed to locate a
horizontal grid lines specific place on a map.

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Finding Direction
Since the 11th century, sailors
have used maps and compasses
to help them find their way at sea.
Today, we still use these to help us
find our way around. A map helps
us find out how to get to another
place from where we are, and a
compass helps us find direction.
You will learn
what cardinal points are
how to tell direction using cardinal
points
what bearings are and how to use
bearings to specify direction (only for
students in the Special and Express
streams)

Cardinal Points
Look at Fig.2.11. It shows a
compass. There are four points
marked on it: north, south, east and
west. These points are known as the
cardinal points. Four other points
can also be seen on the compass.
These additional points are marked
north-east, south-east, south-west
and north-west.
Fig.2.11 Can you think of specific
examples where a compass would
be useful?

Cardinal points can be used

to show the direction of one
place or a feature from another.
So, a place or a feature may be
described as being north, south,
east or west of another. On maps,
these cardinal points are shown
by the directional indicator or
compass rose.
Fig.2.12 The compass rose is a direc-
tional indicator that shows the cardinal
directions north, south, east and west.
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Finding Direction Using Cardinal Points

These are the steps to take when finding the direction of a place
or feature (Y) from another (X). Refer to Fig.2.13

31

30
Y

29

28
X
27
03 04 05 06 07
Fig. 2.13 Finding direction using cardinal points

(i) Draw a line joining the two places or features.

(ii) At X, draw a vertical line that is parallel to the eastings of the
map. This line indicates north.
(iii) Look at X and use one of the cardinal points to describe the
position of Y from X. From Fig 2.13, it can be seen that Y is north-
east from X.

Using the steps listed earlier, let us find the direction of BBC
Birmingham Public Space from the Temple.
(i) First locate BBC Birmingham Public Space and the Temple.
(ii) Then draw a line from the centre of Temple to the centre of BBC
Birmingham Public Space. .
(iii) At the Temple, draw a vertical line that is parallel to the eastings
of the map. This line indicates north.
Hence, BBC Birmingham Public Space is to the south-west of the
Temple.

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The map below shows the Temple and BBC Birmingham Public Space.

Fig.2.14 A street map of Birmingham

Bearings
Cardinal points are useful only for giving general directions. To
be more exact, however, you should measure the direction in degrees.
Directions, measured in degrees, are known as bearings. Bearings
are measured from north or 0˚ in a clockwise direction. 90˚ coincides
with the cardinal point east, 180˚ with south and 270˚ with west.

Finding Direction Using Bearings

To find the bearing of one place or feature from another on a map,
we need to use a protractor. The following describes the steps to take.
(i) To measure the bearing of B from A, draw a line to join the two
points.
(ii) Place the centre of the protractor at A. The 0˚ on the protractor
must point to the north.
(iii) The point on the outer edge of the protractor where the line joining
A and B crosses shows the bearing of B from point A. Read the
bearing off the protractor.
(iv) You will see that the bearing of B from A is 135˚.

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Measuring Bearing...
Find the bearing of B from A

Place your protractor over the north

line with 0º at the top

A Give the answer as a three figure

bearing
The bearing of B from A is 135º

Fig. 2.15 The bearing of B from A is 135º

If the bearing is greater than 180˚, take the following steps.

(i) To measure the bearing of X from A, draw a line to join the two
points.
(ii) Place the center of the protractor at A. The 180˚ of the protractor
must be pointing to the north.
(iii) Look carefully at the reading where the line joining A and X
crosses the outer edge of the protractor. Note that this is not the
bearing of X from point A. You have to add 180˚ to get the bearing
of X from point A.
(iv) In the diagram shown, the bearing of X from point A is 230˚, that
is, 50˚ + 180˚.

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Fig. 2.16
The bearing of X from A is 230º

Bearings
Compass directions which are
measured in degrees Recap Questions
1. What are the four main
Cardinal points
cardinal points?
Makings on the compass which 2. Why is direction
indicate the directions north, sometimes given as
east, south and west. bearings?

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