Using an Atlas

Latitude & Longitude

*
Lesson objective
To know how to use the index in an Atlas
To locate places using latitude and longitude

Keywords
Latitude – lines that go around the earth e.g. equator
(LAT LINES ARE FLAT LINES!)
Longitude – lines that go through the Poles e.g. Prime
Meridian
Using an Atlas: The Index
 Using an Atlas: The
Index
Use the index (p143 onwards) in the Atlas
to find the information for the following
places (places are in alphbetical order in
the index)

Place name Country Page Latitude Longitude

Taipei
Washington
DC
Edinburgh
Cairo
Quito
 Using an Atlas: The
Index
Use the index (p143 onwards) in the Atlas
to find the information for the following
places (places are in alphbetical order in
the index)

Place name Country Page Latitude Longitude

Taipei Taiwan 69 25 05 N 121 32 E

Washington USA 91 38 55 N 77 00 W
DC
Edinburgh Scotland 11 55 57 N 3 13 W
Cairo Egypt 81 30 00 N 31 15 E
Quito Ecuador 96 0 14 S 78 30 W
Latitude & Longitude: Can you name these
important lines?
A

D
E
 Mark and Label these lines on your map.
Arctic Circle 66.5˚

Tropic of Cancer
23.5˚

Equator 0˚

Tropic of Capricorn
23.5˚

Antarctic Circle
66.5˚
Prime Meridian
0˚
Latitude and longitude co-ordinates

How can we find the position of the location marked as A?

• Find its latitude. 80 N
• The latitude is 20°S. A is 60
20° south of the equator. 40
• Find its longitude. 20
• The longitude is 20°W. 0
A is 20° west of the
20
Prime Meridian. A
• Combine the values for 40
latitude and longitude. 60
• The latitude and longitude 80
of A is 20°S 20°W. 80 60 40 20 0 20 40

Always write latitude values first.

Latitude and longitude
Match the places with the correct latitude and longitude.
A:

B:

Now mark 3 places (A. B and C) with an X on your map, and write their latitude and
C: longitude in the space to the left..
G aborone
E gypt
O cean
G reat Sandy I ndian
R eykjavik S ahara
A ndes
P araguay G rande
H imalayas O rinoco
Y emen I celand
N ew Zealand
G reenland

P acific Ocean
L ondon
A tlas
C anada
E urope
S audi
 Using an Atlas
Latitude & Longitude
Lesson objective
To know how to use the index in an Atlas
To locate places using latitude and longitude
 Tasks
• Mark 3 places on your map
(A, B & C). Write the
latitude and longitude for
each place. Remember
always write latitude (N or S
of the equator) first.

• Read page 12 & 13 of

Foundations
• Complete activities 1, 2 & 3
• Extension – The Atlas
Challenge!