APPLICATIONS

OF SPHERICAL
TRIGONOMETRY
APRIL ANN T. PEÑA, MA, LPT
2ND TRIMESTER, AY 2022 – 2023
TOPICS:

1. The Terrestrial Sphere

2. Parallel Sailing

3. Terrestrial Triangle
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Meridian
a semicircle of great circle
which passes through the
north and south poles

*Every meridian intersects the

equator at right angles.
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE

Prime Meridian

the meridian which passes

through Greenwich,
England
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Latitude (L)
the angular distance of
the point from the
equator
is measured along the
meridian of the point
under consideration from
0° to 90°, north or south,
of the equator
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Latitude (L)

𝟒𝟓 ° 𝑵
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Latitude (L)

What is the
latitude?
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Latitude (L)

𝟗𝟎 ° 𝑵
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
co-L Colatitude
the angular distance from
the North Pole N

abbreviated as
“co-L”
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
co-L A Colatitude
If Point A is north of
the equator
co-L = 90° - L

If Point B is south of
B the equator
co-L = 90° + L
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Colatitude
Manila has a latitude of
14°36’ N
co-L = 75°24’
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Colatitude
Manila has a latitude of
14°36’ N
co-L = 75°24’
Melbourne has a latitude of
37°49’S

co-L = 127°49’
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Parallels of Latitude
Small circles cut by planes
perpendicular to the axis NS.
All points on a parallel of latitude
have the same latitude.
The small circle through points A and
B is parallel of latitude.
Points A, B and G have the same
latitude.
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Difference in Latitude (DL)
Between two points, it is the arc of a meridian between the parallels
of latitude which pass through these points.
In general, the difference in latitude between two points A and B of
latitudes L1 and L2 are given as follows:
1. If A and B are in the same hemisphere (i.e., both north or both
south of the equator), then:
If L1 > L2: DL
if L < L =: L1 – L2
1 2 DL
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Difference in Latitude (DL)
Between two points, it is the arc of a meridian between the parallels
of latitude which pass through these points.
In general, the difference in latitude between two points A and B of
latitudes L1 and L2 are given as follows:
2. If A and B are in different hemispheres (i.e., they are in opposite
sides of the equator), then:

DL = L1 + L2
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Difference in Latitude (DL)
Denver, Albuquerque, Buenos Aires,
Colorado () New Mexico Argentina ()
()
′ ′
DL between Denver and Albuquerque 𝑫𝑳=𝟑𝟗 ° 𝟒 𝟒 −𝟑𝟓 ° 𝟓
𝑫𝑳=𝟒 ° 𝟑𝟗 ′
′ ′
DL between Denver and Buenos Aires 𝑫𝑳=𝟑𝟗 ° 𝟒 𝟒 +𝟑𝟒 ° 𝟑𝟔
𝑫𝑳=𝟕𝟒 ° 𝟐𝟎 ′
′ ′
DL between Albuquerque and Buenos Aires 𝑫𝑳=𝟑𝟓 ° 𝟓 + 𝟑𝟒 ° 𝟑𝟔
𝑫𝑳=𝟔𝟗 ° 𝟒𝟏 ′
1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Longitude (λ)
the angular distance between the
prime meridian and the
meridian of the point
is measured from 0° to 180°, east
or west of the prime meridian

If a point is 40° east of the prime

meridian, its longitude is
designated as 40°E.
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Difference in Longitude (Dλ)
Between two points, it is the shorter arc that connects the
meridians of the points.
If A and B have longitudes λ1 and λ2 respectively, the difference in
longitudes between them may be found by the following:
1. If A and B are both east or both west of the prime meridian,
then
If λ1 > λ2 : D λ = λ1 –
If λ1 < λ2 : λ2 D λ = λ2 –
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Difference in Longitude (Dλ)
Between two points, it is the shorter arc that connects the
meridians of the points.
If A and B have longitudes λ1 and λ2 respectively, the difference in
longitudes between them may be found by the following:
2. If A and B are on opposite sides of the prime meridian, then

If λ1 + λ2 < 180° : D λ = λ1 +
λIf2 λ1 + λ2 > 180° : D λ = 360° – (λ2 + λ1)
 1. THE TERRESTRIAL
SPHERE
Difference in Longitude (Dλ)
Paris Washington Sydney
() () ()

′ ′
Dλ between 𝑫 λ=𝟏𝟓𝟏° 𝟏 𝟐 −𝟐 ° 𝟐 𝟎
Paris and Sydney 𝑫 λ=𝟏𝟒𝟖 ° 𝟓𝟐 ′
′ ′
D λ between 𝑫 λ=𝟐 ° 𝟐 𝟎 +𝟕𝟕 ° 𝟒
Paris and Washington 𝑫 λ =𝟕𝟗 ° 𝟐𝟒 ′
D λ between Washington 𝑫 λ=𝟑𝟔𝟎° − 𝟕𝟕 °𝟒 + 𝟏𝟓𝟏°𝟏𝟐 ′ )
( ′

and Sydney 𝑫 λ=𝟏𝟑𝟏 ° 𝟒𝟒 ′

ACTIVITY 2.1

Find the difference in Latitude and

Longitude of:
a.Manila and Hong Kong
b.Berlin and Chicago
c.New York and Washington
d.Los Angeles and Sydney
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Nautical Mile (n mile)

the linear measure of the angular measure of a distance between
two points on the earth’s surface in navigation

A nautical mile is the length of one minute of arc of a great

circle:
1 n mile = 1’ of arc of a great circle
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Nautical Mile (n mile)

Since 1° = 60’, then the circumference of a great circle
contains:
C = (360°) (60’) = 21,600 n miles
Since the circumference of any circle is C = 2πr and r =
3,959 statute miles for the terrestrial sphere (earth),
then
C = 2π (3,959) = 7,918π statute miles
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Nautical Mile (n mile)

1 n mile
= 1.15078 statute miles
= 6,076.115 ft
= 1.852 km
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Nautical Mile (n mile)

Find the distance in nautical miles between two points. A (42°20’
N, 35° W) and B (71°40’ N, 35° W) on the earth’s surface.

DL = L2 – L1
= 71°40’ – 42°20’
= 29°20’
= 1760’ or 1760 n miles
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Parallel Sailing

sailing due east or

due west along the
same parallel of
latitude
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Parallel Sailing
Consider now the arc AB in figure.

Note that A and B are points on the

same parallel of latitude.

The length of arc AB in nautical

miles is called the departure
between the meridian of A and that
of B.
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Parallel Sailing
In navigation, arc AB may represent
the path traced by a ship which sails
from A to B (i.e., due east) or from B
to A (i.e., due to west).

Since the departure is the length of a

small circle, then:
the relation
“1 nautical mile = 1’ or arc” does not
hold.
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING

Departure (d)

d = D λ cos L
2. NAUTICAL MILE; PARALLEL SAILING
Example
Leaving latitude 50°25’ N, longitude 82°36’ W, a ship
sails due east until it reaches longitude 78°24’ W.
Find the departure.
d = D λ cos L
d = (82°36’ – 78°24’)cos 50°25’
d = (4°12’x 60 n mile) cos 50°25’
d = 160.57 nm E
ACTIVITY 2.2

1. Ship in latitude 45°20’ N sail due to west until it has made a good
difference in longitude of 3°10’. Find the departure.

2. A ship leaves latitude 31°14’ N longitude 84°53’ W and sails due

west for 180 n miles. Find the longitude at its point of arrival.
 3. TERRESTRIAL TRIANGLE

Terrestrial Triangle

A spherical
triangle which has
the north or South
Pole as one of its
vertices
 3. TERRESTRIAL TRIANGLE
Example 1

Find the distance between

San Francisco (37°48’ N, 122°26’ W) and
Honolulu (21°18’ N, 157°52’ W).
 3. TERRESTRIAL TRIANGLE
Example 2

A ship leaves
San Francisco (37°48’ N, 122°26’ W) and
sails along a great circle track, crosses the equator
at point M with a longitude of 150° W.
What is the distance of M from San Francisco?
 3. TERRESTRIAL TRIANGLE
Example 3

A ship sails from A (20° N, 150° W). After 6

days, it crosses the equator at 170° W.
What is the speed of the ship in knots?
ACTIVITY 2.3
Find the distance between
1 Moscow (55°45’ N, 37°34’ E) and
Manila (14°36’ N, 121°5’ E).

From Vancouver (45°37’ N, 122°40’ W), a vessel sails to

2 Georgia (32°5’ N, 81°5’ W).
What is the speed of vessel after sailing for 11 days?

3 How long does it take to sail from Manila(14°36’N, 121°5’E)

to Guam(13°24’N, 144°38’E) at speed of 18 knots?