SC I E N C E – G R A D E 7

M OD U LE 2 : L A T I T U DE A N D
QUAR T E R 4 –
LONGITUDE
LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE

In previous module, you have learned the different

imaginary lines and its description, before locating
places on the globe it is necessary to understand
more about latitude and longitude
 LATITUDE

• THE REFERENCE POINT FOR LATITUDE IS THE EQUATOR. THE EQUATOR IS AT LATITUDE 0° (ZERO DEGREE).
STARTING FROM THE EQUATOR GOING NORTHWARD THE LINES OF LATITUDE MEASURES 15°N (FIFTEEN
DEGREES NORTH), 30°N, 45°N, 60°N, 75°N, AND 90°N (NORTH POLE) WITH EQUAL MEASUREMENT OF 15°
PER LINE.
LATITUDE
• BASED ON THE FIGURES ABOVE, THE GLOBE DOES NOT SHOW ALL LINES OF LATITUDE. IF YOU ARE GOING
TO LOOK FOR 50°N, IN WHICH LINES OF LATITUDE YOU SHOULD LOOK? IF YOU THINK BETWEEN 45°N AND
60°N, THEN YOU ARE RIGHT.

• MOREOVER, STARTING FROM THE EQUATOR GOING SOUTHWARD THE LINES OF LATITUDE MEASURES
15°S (FIFTEEN DEGREES SOUTH), 30°S, 45°S, 60°S, 75°S, AND 90°S (SOUTH POLE) ALSO WITH EQUAL
MEASUREMENT OF 15° PER LINE.

• STILL BASED ON THE FIGURES ABOVE IF YOU WISH TO FIND 20°S, IN WHICH LINES OF LATITUDE YOU
SHOULD LOOK? IF YOU SAY BETWEEN 15°S AND 30°S, THEN YOU ARE CORRECT.
LONGITUDE
• THE REFERENCE POINT FOR LONGITUDE IS THE PRIME MERIDIAN. THE PRIME MERIDIAN IS AT LONGITUDE
0° (ZERO DEGREE). TO THE RIGHT OF PRIME MERIDIAN, THE LONGITUDE MEASURES THIS WAY: 15°E
(FIFTEEN DEGREES EAST), 30°E, 45°E, 60°E, 75°E, 90°E, AND SO ON UNTIL 180°E, WHILE TO THE LEFT OF
PRIME MERIDIAN, THE LONGITUDE MEASURES THIS WAY: 15°W (FIFTEEN DEGREES WEST), 30°W, 45°W,
60°W, 75°W, 90°W, AND SO ON UNTIL 180°W. BASED ON THE FIGURES ABOVE, THE GLOBE MEASURES A
TOTAL OF 360° DIVIDED BY 15° (DEGREES PER LINE) THEREFORE THERE ARE 24 LINES OF LONGITUDE, 12
LONGITUDES FOR WESTERN HEMISPHERE AND 12 ALSO FOR EASTERN HEMISPHERE
LONGITUDE
• SINCE THERE ARE EQUAL DEGREES PER LINE OF LONGITUDE, IF YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR 80°W, IN WHICH LINES OF
LONGITUDE YOU SHOULD LOOK? IF YOU THINK BETWEEN 75°W AND 90°W, THEN YOU ARE RIGHT. HOW ABOUT 122°W? YOU
MAY FIND IT BETWEEN 120°W AND 135°W.

• LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE ALSO HELP IN DETERMINING THE KIND OF ENVIRONMENT A PLACE MAY HAVE, FOR EXAMPLE IF A
PLACE IS LOCATED IN HIGHER LATITUDE THAT PLACE HAS COLDER TEMPERATURE AND MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT SEASONS,
UNLIKE PLACES IN LOWER LATITUDE THOSE PLACES HAVE WARMER TEMPERATURE AND MAY EXPERIENCE EXTREME WEATHER.

• HOWEVER, IF A PLACE IS IN HIGHER LONGITUDE IN WESTERN HEMISPHERE THAT PLACE MAY EXPERIENCE COLD CLIMATE, ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HEMISPHERE IN EASTERN PLACES, MAY EXPERIENCE EXTREME WEATHER LIKE STRONG TYPHOONS.
ACTIVITY 1: LATITUDE OR LONGITUDE?
DIRECTION: DISTINGUISH THE FOLLOWING
STATEMENT WHETHER LATITUDE OR LONGITUDE.
WRITE YOUR ANSWER ON THE SPACE PROVIDED.
_____________1. You wanted to measure west or east direction
_____________2. Philippines is located at 13° N
_____________3. Your friend wanted to visit 38° N, because she is a Kpop fan
_____________4. Reference point is the prime meridian
_____________5. Greenwich, England is at 0°
_____________6. Philippines is located at 122° W
_____________7. You found out that there are 12 meridians in both Western and
Eastern Hemispheres
_____________8. Reference point is the equator
_____________9. Degrees per parallel from the equator is increasing
_____________10. Measures north or south direction
ACTIVITY 2: DEGREES OF LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE
PROCEDURE:
1. STUDY THE MAP BELOW.
2. USING THE TERMS BELOW LABEL LATITUDES AND
LONGITUDES ON THE WORLD MAP.
 90º N 180º W 45º E
45º N 135º W 90º E
0º Latitude 90º W 135º E
45º S 45º W 180º E
90º S 0º Longitude
ACTIVITY 3: LATITUDE, CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT
PROCEDURE: COMPLETE THE TABLE BELOW.

Place – (Climate/Environment Give the nearest latitude

Manila, Philippines – experience different extreme weather,

rich in rain forest
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – summer heat is intense, has desert

Tokyo, Japan - has four seasons

Toronto, Canada – has winter season

GUIDE QUESTION:
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP OF LATITUDE
AND CLIMATE/ENVIRONMENT?
USING THE TERMS BELOW, DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS DESCRIBING A
CHARACTERISTIC OF LATITUDE OR LONGITUDE AND ENTER THE
INFORMATION INTO THE APPROPRIATE ROW OF THE TABLE BELOW.
equator Measures prime Measures 0°
is the starting 0° to 90° N meridian to 180° W
point is the starting
point

how far north or parallel how far east or meridian

south west
LATITUDE

LONGITUDE
 What is the latitude and longitude of the farthest place you have visited? (If you have
not gone anywhere outside the Philippines, pick a place you would like to visit) why did
you visit or pick that place?
Why it is important to locate latitude and longitude?
CHOOSE THE LETTER OF THE BEST ANSWER.
1. Which of the following is the reference point when locating the longitude of a place?

A. Equator C. Prime meridian

B. Latitude D. Poles

2. What cardinal direction is to the left of prime meridian?

A. East C. South
B. North D. West
3. How many degrees are there per line of longitude and latitude?
A. 0° B. 15° C. 90° D. 360°

4. Why equator and prime meridian need to be determined first before locating the latitude and longitude?
A .Because both equator and prime meridian are easy to find
B. Because both equator and prime meridian are coordinates
C. Because both equator and prime meridian are located at 0°
D. Because both equator and prime meridian are located at 180°

5. How does latitude affect the climate and environment of a place?

A. Places in higher latitude have colder temperature
B. Places in lower latitude have warmer temperature
C. Places in different latitudes have different environment
D. All of the above