How could two points 35 degrees north of the equator one in North America and other in China be distinguished using map coordintes?

Answer 1

To define a point on the surface of the Earth we have to use a common agreed system of reference.

To do this we divide the world up using a series of planes that pass through the center of the earth and the North and South poles. Where these planes intersect the surface of the Earth they form a series of lines which we call lines of Longitude or meridians. By convention the line of Longitude passing through Greenwich, London, England as the Prime meridian and say that this is starting point for counting and we move in degrees of a circle east and west from this.

Similarly we also divide the Earth up into with a plane passing through the center of the Earth at its widest part and normal to the line between the poles. Where this intersects the surface of the Earth, this is called the Equator and we say this is another starting point. We can move North or South of the Equator by drawing a circle from the center of the Earth bay a number of degrees measured above or below the plane of the Equator. Doing this and marking where this geometry intersects the surface of the Earth gives us lines of Latitude.

Lines of latitude are all parallel to each other (and the Equator) but the circle they draw gets smaller to wards the poles. Lines of longitude are never parallel to each other, are widely spaced at the Equator and converge to a point at the poles.

Two point 35 degrees North means that the two points are on the same line of latitude but as China and America are on different sides of the Earth, their Longitude positions will be different.

America's point will have a value something like 35 degrees North, 99 degrees West, While china will be 35 degrees North, 97 degrees East.

Answer 2

By their longitude.

Answer 3

by their longitude