Location, location, location…

Absolute & Relative Location

Geography Unit: Lesson 3

Continents & Oceans• Label the world map with the 7 continents and 5 oceans. • Draw a compass rose.• Be sure to capitalize and check your spelling! • When you are finished, start working the questions on the

back. You will finish the questions for homework.

Continents Oceans

AfricaAsia

Australia Antarctica

North AmericaSouth America

Europe

Atlantic PacificArcticIndian

Southern

Location• Where places are located on earth• 2 types of Location

– Absolute Location• An exact spot on earth (fixed—doesn’t change)

– Latitude/Longitude– Hemispheres– Grid System– Address

– Relative Location• Location determined by comparing one location to another (variable—

changes based on your starting point)– Miles – Distance– Direction

» Example: Canada is north relative to the USA. The USA is south relative to Canada.

Where are you located right now?Relative Location

• How do you get to school from your house? (directions)

Absolute Location

• Latitude & Longitude Locator

Let’s look at a globe…

• What are some things that you see?– Do you see land?– Do you see water?– Do you see lines?

• Are there really lines on the globe?• These are imaginary lines that help us find absolute

location.• Does anyone know any of the names of the

imaginary lines?

Imaginary Lines

Arctic Circle

Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Capricorn

Antarctic Circle

Equator

Prim

e M

erid

ian

Imaginary Lines Game• To help us understand the positions on the globe we use imaginary lines.

NORTH POLE

TROPIC OF CANCER

EQUATOR

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

ANTARCTIC CIRCLESOUTH POLE

ARTIC CIRCLE

HEAD

EARS

SHOULDERS

WAIST

KNEES

ANKLES

TOES

PRIME MERIDIANNOSE

• You may be familiar with this type of graph from math class. It’s a line graph.

• The graph is made up of different “points” with lines that connect the points.

Graphs

Graphs

• Each point has two values– The “X” value that runs along the horizontal “X” axis– The “Y” value that runs along the vertical “Y” axis

Y axis

X axis

graphs

• X value stated first, followed by the Y value (X, Y)• When the X and Y value are both zero this is called

the point of origin (0, 0)

(0,0)

(3,8)Y

X

(9,5)

graphs

• A point can also have negative values (-)

• Negative X value are to the left of the origin

• Negative Y value are below the origin

X

Y

(-X,+Y)

(+X,-Y)

(+X,+Y)

(-X,-Y)

(0,0)

From Graphs to Maps• Let’s apply the coordinate plan from math class to maps. • Which imaginary line coincides with the X axis?

– The Equator• Which imaginary line coincides with the Y axis?

• The Prime Meridian• When the X and Y axes intersect on a map it called a set of

latitude and longitude coordinates. Y

X

• The earth can be divided into hemispheres.

– hemi=half– sphere=globe

• What is the name of the imaginary line that divides the Earth into a northern & southern hemisphere?

– Equator

• What is the name of the imaginary line that divides the Earth into a western & eastern hemisphere?

– Prime Meridian

•

Quadrants of the Globe

• Using the Equator and the Prime Meridian as the point of origin the earth is divided into four quadrants, or quarters.

• The quadrants are designated by either N or S AND E or W.

N

S

EW

Quadrants of the Globe • What does the N and S

indicate in terms of position on the earth?– N indicates above the

equator– S indicates below the

equator• What does the E and W

indicate in terms of position of the Earth?– E indicates East of the

Prime Meridian – W indicates West of the

Prime Meridian

(N, W) (N, E)

(S, W) (S, E)

Quadrants of the Globe

SW

NE

SE

NW Arctic Circle

Tropic of Cancer

Tropic of Capricorn

Antarctic Circle

Equator

Prim

e M

erid

ian

? ?

? ?

Quadrants of the Globe

• In which quadrant is North America?

(N, W)

North America is North of the Equator and West of the Prime Meridian

Quadrants of the Globe • In which

quadrant would Australia be located in?

• This means the latitude & longitude coordinates would be (S, E)(S, E)

Australia is South of the Equator and East of the Prime Meridian

?

What exactly is latitude?• Latitude is the distance

N or S from the equator and is measured along the Y axis

• Values are expressed in degrees from 0°-90° N or S

• What will all points along the equator have?– 0°

Y

X

90°S

90°N

• Lines parallel to the Equator are lines of latitude, or parallels

Equator Latitude 0o

Latitude: (90oN to 90oS)

Latitude 23½o NorthTropic of Cancer

Latitude 23½o SouthTropic of Capricorn

Positioning on the Earth’s SurfaceEast is the direction of rotation of the Earth North Pole

South Pole

23½o 23½o

66½o 90o

900

21st June

22nd December

22nd Sept20th March

longitude • Longitude is the distance E or W from the Prime Meridian measured on the X axis

• What value will all points located on the Prime Meridian have?

• Value is expressed from 0°-180° E or W

• 360° total (degrees in circle!)

Y

X

180°W 180°E

• Lines that are east or west of the Prime Meridian are lines of longitude, or meridians

Equator Latitude 0o

Longitude 30o East

Longitude 60o East

Longitude 30o West

Longitude 60o West

Positioning on the Earth’s SurfaceEast is the direction of rotation of the Earth

30oE

Longitude 90oEastLongitude 90o West

Prime Meridian0o Longitude

Longitude: (180oE to 180oW)

• Look at the diagrams.

• How are lines of latitude and longitude measured?

• degrees

Equator Latitude 0o

Latitude: (90oN to 90oS)

Latitude 23½o NorthTropic of Cancer

Latitude 23½o SouthTropic of Capricorn

Longitude 30o East

Longitude 60o East

Longitude 30o West

Longitude 60o West

Positioning on the Earth’s SurfaceEast is the direction of rotation of the Earth North Pole

South Pole

23½o 23½o

66½o 90o

900

21st June

22nd December

22nd Sept20th March

30oE60oE90oE90oW30oW60oW

Longitude 90oEastLongitude 90o West

Prime Meridian0o Longitude

Longitude: (180oE to 180oW)

Latitude and Longitude together enable the fixing of position on the Earth’s surface.

In which quadrant are these coordinates located in?

•Use the map on your notesheet and a PENCIL to plot the coordinates and label with the correct quadrant (A, B, C, D).

1. 40°N, 20°E2. 37°N, 76°W3. 72°S, 141°W4. 7°S, 23°W5. 15°N, 29°E6. 34°S, 151°E

1. B 2. A 3. C 4.C 5. B 6. D

1

6

2

54

3

A

DC

B

Why is this important?• Using latitude and longitude you are able to locate places

on the globe. • With a set of coordinates, you are able to determine the

quadrant in which a place is located, making it easier to find on a map.

• Also, depending on the degree of latitude, you can approximate what the climate of area might be like. – For example, what do you think the temperature might be like at

the following degrees of latitude? Why?• 66°N• O°• 70°S

Latitude/Longitude Practice• Using the Textbook Atlas on A1-A22, work with your

partner to find the names of the locations at the coordinates listed on the sheet.

• There are hints on the paper to help narrow your focus.

• You may have to look at a world map to find the quadrant the coordinates are in, then find a more zoomed in map on that area.

• You have until the end of the period.