When the time of day for a certain ship at sea is twelve noon the time of day at the prime meridian zero degrees longitude is five pm what is the ship's longitude?

Answer 1

Given the information you provide, you can only know which time zone the ship is in; it could be anywhere within the 15 degree width of longitude in that zone (and, presumably, in the water someplace). I am assuming that the ship is keeping accurate local time. This would mean that the ship (whose clock reads 12 noon) is in the time zone that has 75 degrees west longitude at its center. This is the time zone known in the US as Eastern Standard Time.

Answer 2

The sun is just passing the ship now, but it passed the Prime Meridian 5 hours ago.

The Earth turns from west to east at 15° per hour, so the ship is (5 x 15) = 75°

west

of the Prime Meridian = 75° west longitude.

If, at that moment, the ship is at 35° north latitude, then he's in the Atlantic Ocean,

only about 55 miles off the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

If between 23° and 25° north latitude, then he's steaming through the Bahamas.

If at 33° south latitude, then they're in the Pacific Ocean, about 160 miles off the

coast of Chile and 270 miles southwest of downtown Santiago.

And if the ship's navigator reports 39° 57' 10" north latitude, then either he or the

ship's captain, or both, have a real problem, because they're sailing down East Mill Road

in Maple Shade New Jersey less than 9 miles due east of downtown Philadelphia,

and someone's bound to notice them sooner or later.

Answer 3

75 degrees West.....castlelearning.com