MG - Finding a Location [LESSON]

Finding a Location

Where is Atlanta? Seems like a simple question, right? But an accurate answer may be given dozens of different ways if we use relative location. It's in northwest Georgia. It's in the southeastern United States etc. What if we want to know exactly, unequivocally, precisely where Atlanta is? That's where absolute location comes in. We need a system to identify absolute location. And that is precisely what this lesson is about. See what we did there? Precisely.

Guide Point 🧭

Finding a Location

Think of a grid system like the lines on a chessboard. They form a network of horizontal and vertical lines that crisscross, making it easier for us to pinpoint places. These lines work just like the rows and columns on a chessboard, helping you locate any position on the map.

Now, imagine these lines have special names: latitude and longitude. Latitude lines run horizontally around the Earth (assuming the poles are positioned at the top and bottom), measuring the distance north or south from the Equator. They're like the horizontal rows on your chessboard. On the other hand, longitude lines run vertically (again, assuming the poles are positioned at the top and bottom), measuring the distance east or west from the Prime Meridian. These are like the columns on your chessboard.

These lines are measured in “degrees.” For example, Atlanta is approximately 34° North of the Equator and 84° West of the Prime Meridian. Each degree is further broken down into 60 “minutes” and each minute is even further broken down into 60 “seconds.” Atlanta is exactly 33°44’56” North of the Equator and 84°23’24” West of the Prime Meridian. But, where exactly is "Atlanta"? Do we use the Capitol Building? The downtown Varsity? The intersection of Peachtree and Peachtree? Georgia Tech? This is where absolute location can get a little relative. By the way, Google Maps used the State Capitol building, while Big and Apple Maps used Atlanta City Hall to measure where Atlanta is precisely. Interesting. 

By using a grid system or latitude & longitude, we can determine the absolute location of any place on Earth.

Latitude and Longitude Lines | Practice Activity

Now that you have the knowledge of grid systems and latitude & longitude, let's practice the skill of identifying those elements.

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