How to find geographic coordinates on the map. How to read GPS coordinates

Each point on the planet's surface has a specific position, which corresponds to its own coordinate in latitude and longitude. It is located at the intersection of the spherical arcs of the meridian, which is responsible for longitude, with a parallel, which corresponds to latitude. It is denoted by a pair of angular values ​​expressed in degrees, minutes, seconds, which has the definition of a coordinate system.

Latitude and longitude are the geographical aspect of a plane or sphere, carried over into topographic images. For a more accurate location of any point, its height above sea level is also taken into account, which allows you to find it in three-dimensional space.

The need to find a point by the coordinates of latitude and longitude arises on duty and by occupation among rescuers, geologists, military, sailors, archaeologists, pilots and drivers, but tourists, travelers, seekers, researchers may also need it.

What is latitude and how to find it

Latitude is the distance from an object to the equator line. It is measured in angular units (such as degrees, degrees, minutes, seconds, etc.). Latitude on a map or globe is indicated by horizontal parallels - lines that describe a circle parallel to the equator and converge in the form of a series of tapering rings to the poles.

Therefore, they distinguish between northern latitude - this is the entire part of the earth's surface north of the equator, and also southern - this is the entire part of the planet's surface south of the equator. Equator - zero, the longest parallel.

• The parallels from the equator line to the north pole are considered to be a positive value from 0° to 90°, where 0° is the equator itself, and 90° is the top of the north pole. They are counted as north latitude (NL).
• Parallels extending from the equator towards the south pole are indicated by a negative value from 0° to -90°, where -90° is the location of the south pole. They are counted as south latitude (S).
• On a globe, parallels are depicted as circles encircling the ball, which decrease as they approach the poles.
• All points on the same parallel will have the same latitude but different longitudes.
  On the maps, based on their scale, the parallels have the form of horizontal, curved arc stripes - the smaller the scale, the straighter the parallel strip is shown, and the larger it is, the more curved it is.

Remember! The closer a given area is to the equator, the lower its latitude will be.

What is longitude and how to find it

Longitude is the amount by which the position of a given area is removed relative to Greenwich, that is, the zero meridian.

Longitude is similarly inherent in the measurement in angular units, only from 0 ° to 180 ° and with the prefix - east or west.

• The zero meridian of Greenwich vertically encircles the globe of the Earth, passing through both poles, dividing it into the western and eastern hemispheres.
• Each of the parts to the west of Greenwich (in the Western Hemisphere) will have a West Longitude (WL) designation.
• Each of the parts east of Greenwich and located in the eastern hemisphere will carry the designation of east longitude (E.L.).
• Finding each point along one meridian has a single longitude, but a different latitude.
• The meridians are plotted on the maps in the form of vertical stripes, curved in the form of an arc. The smaller the scale of the map, the straighter the meridian strip will be.

How to find the coordinates of a given point on the map

Often you have to find out the coordinates of a point that is located on the map in a square between the two nearest parallels and meridians. Approximate data can be obtained by eye by successively estimating the step in degrees between the lines plotted on the map in the area of ​​interest, and then comparing the distance from them to the desired area. For accurate calculations, you will need a pencil with a ruler, or a compass.

• For the initial data, we take the designations of the parallels with the meridian closest to our point.
• Next, we look at the step between their stripes in degrees.
• Then we look at the value of their step on the map in cm.
• We measure with a ruler in cm the distance from a given point to the nearest parallel, as well as the distance between this line and the neighboring one, translate into degrees and take into account the difference - subtracting from the larger one, or adding to the smaller one.
• Thus we get the latitude.

Example! The distance between the parallels 40° and 50°, among which our area is located, is 2 cm or 20 mm, and the step between them is 10°. Accordingly, 1° is equal to 2 mm. Our point is removed from the fortieth parallel by 0.5 cm or 5 mm. We find degrees to our locality 5/2 = 2.5 °, which must be added to the value of the nearest parallel: 40 ° + 2.5 ° = 42.5 ° - this is our northern latitude of the given point. In the southern hemisphere, the calculations are similar, but the result has a negative sign.

Similarly, we find the longitude - if the nearest meridian is farther from Greenwich, and the given point is closer, then we subtract the difference, if the meridian is closer to Greenwich, and the point is further, then we add.

If only a compass was found at hand, then each of the segments is fixed with its tips, and the thrust is transferred to the scale.

Similarly, calculations of coordinates on the surface of the globe are made.

Sometimes you may need to accurately calculate the geographical coordinates of your location or some object, but you don’t have anything with you except a map. Learning how to determine latitude and longitude on a map is not difficult, you just need to get a clear understanding of what a coordinate system is and how to work with it.

The coordinate system is a kind of geographical "registration" that any point on the planet has. To determine the latitude and longitude of the desired object on the map, a grid of meridians and parallels applied over the canvas of any image of the area helps. Let's see how it can be used to find a geographic location.

What is a coordinate system

A system that reads the coordinates of any point, people came up with a long time ago. This system consists of parallels representing latitude and meridians representing longitude.

Since it was difficult to determine latitude and longitude by eye, a grid of longitudinal and transverse arcs, indicated by numbers, began to be applied over all types of geographical images.

What does latitude mean

The number responsible for the latitude of a place on the map indicates its distance relative to the equator - the farther the point is from it and closer to the pole, the more its digital value increases.

• On flat images, as well as on globes, spherical lines drawn horizontally and parallel to the equator - parallels - are responsible for latitude.
• At the equator, there is a zero parallel, towards the poles, the value in numbers increases.
• Parallel arcs are indicated in degrees, minutes, seconds, as angular measurements.
• From the equator towards the North Pole, the value will have positive values ​​​​from 0º to 90º, denoted by the symbols "N", that is, "Northern latitude".
• And from the equator towards the south - negative, from 0º to -90º, denoted by the symbols "south", that is, "southern latitude".
• The values ​​90º and -90º are at the peak of the poles.
• Latitudes close to the equator are called "low", and those close to the poles are called "high".

To determine the location relative to the equator of the required object, you just need to correlate its point with the nearest parallel, and then see what number is opposite it to the left and right behind the map field.

• If the point is located between the lines, you must first determine the nearest parallel.
• If it is north of the desired point, then the coordinate of the point will be smaller, so from the nearest horizontal arc, you need to subtract the difference in degrees to the object.
• If the nearest parallel is lower than the desired point, then the difference in degrees is added to its value, since the desired point will have a larger value.

Since it is sometimes difficult to determine the latitude and longitude on the map at a glance, they use a ruler with a pencil or a compass.

Remember! All points of the globe, and accordingly - on a map or globe, located along one parallel arc, will have the same value in degrees.

What does longitude mean

Meridians are responsible for longitude - vertical spherical arcs converging at the poles to one point, dividing the globe into 2 hemispheres - western or eastern, which we are used to seeing on the map in the form of two circles.

• Meridians similarly make it easier to determine the exact latitude and longitude of any point on earth, since the place where they intersect with each of the parallels is easily indicated by a digital mark.
• The value of vertical arcs is also measured in angular degrees, minutes, seconds, ranging from 0º to 180º.
• Starting from 1884, it was decided to take the Greenwich meridian as a zero mark.
• All values ​​of coordinates in the direction of the west from Greenwich are denoted by the symbol "west longitude", that is, "west longitude".
• All values ​​in the direction east of Greenwich are indicated by the symbol "E", that is, "East longitude".
• All points located along the same arc of the meridian will have the same designation in degrees.

Remember! To calculate the value of longitude, you need to correlate the location of the desired object with the digital designation of the nearest meridian, which is placed outside the image fields above and below.

How to find the coordinates of the desired point

Often the question arises of how to determine the latitude and longitude on the map, if the desired point, remote from the coordinate grid, is inside the square.

The calculation of coordinates is also difficult when the image of the area has a huge scale, but there is no more detailed one with you.

• Here you can’t do without special calculations - you need a ruler with a pencil or a compass.
• First, the nearest parallel and meridian are determined.
• Their digital designation is fixed, then the step.
• Further, from each of the arcs, the distance is measured in millimeters, then converted to kilometers using a scale.
• All this corresponds to the step of the parallels, as well as the step of the meridians plotted on a certain scale.
• There are images with different steps - 15º, 10º, and there are less than 4º, it directly depends on the scale.
• Having learned the distance between the nearest arcs, also the value in degrees, you need to calculate the difference by how many degrees the given point deviates from the coordinate grid.
• Parallel - if the object is in the northern hemisphere, then we add the resulting difference to the smaller number, subtract from the larger one, for the southern one this rule works similarly, only we carry out calculations, as with positive numbers, but the final figure will be negative.
• Meridian - the position of a given point in the eastern or western hemisphere does not affect the calculations, we add our calculations to the smaller value of the parallel, subtract from the larger one.

It is also easy to calculate the geographic location with a compass - to get the value of the parallel, you need to put its ends on the point of the desired object and the nearest horizontal arc, and then transfer the spreader of the compass to the scale of the existing map. And to find out the value of the meridian, repeat all this with the nearest vertical arc.

Since the time of man's entry into the seas, the need to determine longitude and latitude has been a vital human skill. Epochs changed, and a person became able to determine the cardinal directions in any weather. More and more new methods of determining one's position were required.

The captain of a Spanish galleon in the eighteenth century knew exactly where the ship was due to the position of the stars in the night sky. A 19th-century traveler could determine a deviation from an established route in the forest from natural clues.

Now it's the twenty-first century and many have lost the knowledge gained in geography lessons. Smartphones based on Android or iPhone can serve as a tool, but they will never replace the knowledge and ability to determine your location.

What is latitude and longitude in geography

Determination of geographical coordinates

Applications that users install on iPhones read location coordinates to provide services or data based on where the person is located. After all, if the subscriber is in Russia, then he has no reason to read sites in English. Everything happens in the background.

While the average user will never deal with GPS coordinates, knowing how to get and read them can be valuable. In some cases, they can save a life when there is no card nearby.

In any geographic system, there are two indicators: latitude and longitude. Geodata from a smartphone shows exactly where the user is located relative to the equator.

How to determine the latitude and longitude of your location

Consider two options for determining geographic coordinates:

1. Via Android the simplest is the Google Maps application, perhaps the most complete collection of geographic maps in one application. After launching the Google maps application, the location on the road map will be accurately determined, so that the user can get the best idea of ​​the surrounding area. The app also offers an extensive list of features, including real-time GPS navigation, traffic status, and transit information, as well as detailed information about nearby places, including popular food and holiday spots, photos, and reviews.
2. Through iPhone you don't need any third party app to view latitude and longitude data. The location is determined only with the maps application. To find out the current coordinates, just run the "maps". Touch the arrow in the upper right corner of the screen, then touch the blue dot - this is the designation of the location of the phone and the user. Next, we swipe up the screen, and now the user can see the GPS coordinates. Unfortunately, there is no way to copy these coordinates, but you can get such data.

You will need another Compass application to copy them. It is already installed on the iPhone, you can immediately use it.

To view the latitude, longitude and altitude coordinates in the Compass app, just launch and find the data at the bottom.

Determine the geographical coordinates of Moscow

For this:

1. We open the cards of the yandex search engine.
2. Enter the name of our capital "Moscow" in the address bar.
3. The city center (Kremlin) opens and under the name of the country we find the numbers 55.753215, 37.622504 - these are the coordinates, that is, 55.753215 north latitude and 37.622504 east longitude.

Worldwide GPS coordinates are defined by latitude and longitude according to the wgs-84 coordinate system.

In all situations, latitude is a point relative to the equator and longitude is a point relative to the meridian of the British Royal Observatory at Greenwich, UK. This defines two important parameters of online geography.

Finding the latitude and longitude of St. Petersburg

To consolidate the skill, let's repeat the same algorithm of actions, but for the Northern capital:

1. We open "Yandex" maps.
2. We prescribe the name of the northern capital "St. Petersburg".
3. The result of the request will be a panorama of the Palace Square and the desired coordinates 59.939095, 30.315868.

Coordinates of Russian cities and world capitals in the table

Reading GPS data or where negative numbers come from

The object's geographic positioning system has changed several times. Now, thanks to it, you can accurately determine the distance to the desired object and find out the coordinates.

The ability to show the location is a vital necessity in the search activities of the rescue services. Different situations happen with travelers, tourists or extreme sportsmen. It is then that high accuracy is important, when a person is on the verge of life, and minutes count.

Now, dear reader, having such knowledge, you may have questions. There are many of them, but even from the table one of the most interesting arises - why is the number negative? Let's figure it out.

GPS when translated into Russian sounds like this - "global position system". Remember that the distance to the desired geographical object (city, village, village, and so on) is calculated according to two landmarks on the globe: the equator and the observatory in London.

At school they talked about latitude and longitude, but in yandex maps they are replaced by the left and right parts of the code. If the navigator has positive values, then you are heading north. Otherwise, the numbers become negative, which indicates the southern latitude.

Likewise with longitude. Positive values ​​are east longitude and negative values ​​are west longitude.

For example, the coordinates of the Lenin Library in Moscow are: 55°45’08.1″N 37°36’36.9″E. It reads like this: “55 degrees 45 minutes and 08.1 seconds north latitude and 37 degrees 36 minutes and 36.9 seconds east longitude” (data from Google maps).

In order to find the desired object on a map, you need to know its geographical coordinates - latitude and longitude.

Remember how you found a point on the coordinate plane in math lessons? In the same way, you can find any point on the planet using the system of parallels and meridians, or, as it is also called, the degree network.

First, set the geographic latitude of the point. That is, determine how far it is from the equator. To do this, calculate the value of the meridian arc from the equator to this point in degrees. Geographic latitude can vary from 0° to 90°. All points in the Northern Hemisphere have a northern latitude (abbreviated north latitude), and in the southern hemisphere they have a southern latitude (abbreviated south latitude).

Determination of geographical coordinates

To determine the geographic latitude of any point on the globe and map, you need to find out on which parallel it is located. For example, if Moscow is located on the parallel between 50° and 60° N. latitude, then its latitude is approximately 56 ° N. sh. All points of the same parallel have the same latitude. In order to establish the geographic longitude of a point, you need to find out how far it is from the initial (zero) meridian. It is conducted through the old building of the Greenwich Observatory, built in 1675 near London. This meridian is chosen conditionally as the zero meridian. It's called Greenwich. The magnitude of the arc of the parallel from it to a given point is measured in the same way as the geographic latitude - in degrees. If you move from the zero meridian to the east, then the longitude will be east (abbreviated east), and if you move west, west (abbreviated west). The value of longitude can be from 0° to 180°. To determine the geographical longitude of any point means to establish the longitude of the meridian on which it is located. So, Moscow is located at 38 ° E. Yes

Video lesson “Geographical latitude and geographical longitude. Geographical coordinates will help you get an idea of ​​the geographic latitude and geographic longitude. The teacher will tell you how to correctly determine the geographical coordinates.

Geographic latitude- the length of the arc in degrees from the equator to the given point.

To determine the latitude of an object, you need to find the parallel on which this object is located.

For example, the latitude of Moscow is 55 degrees and 45 minutes north latitude, it is written as follows: Moscow 55 ° 45 "N; New York latitude - 40 ° 43" N; Sydney - 33°52"S

Geographic longitude is determined by meridians. Longitude can be western (from 0 meridian west to 180 meridian) and eastern (from 0 meridian east to 180 meridian). Longitudes are measured in degrees and minutes. Geographic longitude can have values ​​from 0 to 180 degrees.

Geographic longitude- length of the arc of the equator in degrees from the initial meridian (0 degrees) to the meridian of the given point.

The prime meridian is the Greenwich meridian (0 degrees).

Rice. 2. Definition of longitudes ()

To determine longitude, you need to find the meridian on which the given object is located.

For example, the longitude of Moscow is 37 degrees and 37 minutes of east longitude, it is written as follows: 37 ° 37 "E; the longitude of Mexico City is 99 ° 08" W.

Rice. 3. Geographic latitude and geographic longitude

To accurately determine the location of an object on the surface of the Earth, you need to know its geographic latitude and geographic longitude.

Geographical coordinates- quantities that determine the position of a point on the earth's surface using latitudes and longitudes.

For example, Moscow has the following geographic coordinates: 55°45" N and 37°37" E. The city of Beijing has the following coordinates: 39°56′ N 116°24′ E The latitude value is written first.

Sometimes you need to find an object by already given coordinates, for this you must first assume in which hemispheres this object is located.

Homework

Paragraphs 12, 13.

1. What is geographic latitude and longitude?

Bibliography

Main

1. Initial course of geography: Proc. for 6 cells. general education institutions / T.P. Gerasimova, N.P. Neklyukov. - 10th ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, 2010. - 176 p.

2. Geography. Grade 6: atlas. - 3rd ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, DIK, 2011. - 32 p.

3. Geography. Grade 6: atlas. - 4th ed., stereotype. - M.: Bustard, DIK, 2013. - 32 p.

4. Geography. 6 cells: cont. cards. - M.: DIK, Bustard, 2012. - 16 p.

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections

1. Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia / A.P. Gorkin. - M.: Rosmen-Press, 2006. - 624 p.

Literature for preparing for the GIA and the Unified State Examination

1. Geography: an initial course. Tests. Proc. allowance for students 6 cells. - M.: Humanit. ed. center VLADOS, 2011. - 144 p.

2. Tests. Geography. Grades 6-10: Teaching aid / A.A. Letyagin. - M .: LLC "Agency" KRPA "Olimp": "Astrel", "AST", 2001. - 284 p.

Materials on the Internet

1. Federal Institute of Pedagogical Measurements ().

2. Russian Geographical Society ().