What is a line of latitude north and south of the equator?

Answer 1

The first latitude line north of the equator is the same thing as the smallest

number that's more than zero. Surely you realize that there is no such number.

Suppose you give me a number and say that it's the smallest one. No matter

how small your number is, all I have to do is take half of it, and then I have

a number that's smaller than your number and still more than zero.

Whatever latitude you name that's north of the equator, I can always name a

latitude that's closer to the equator and still north of it.

Answer 2

There isn't any. This is probably the most widespread misconception we see in this category of

WikiAnswers ... the impression that there are a set of "lines", and we have to pick the latitude

we want out of the set of lines that we're allowed to use.

You wouldn't ask "What's the number of the first line of length after the beginning of the ruler ?"

The answer would be: "You can darn well measure any length you want to, whether or not the ruler

happens to have a line printed there or not."

Similarly, some maps and globes have some lines printed on them, and some don't have any.

On the ones that have lines, the lines may be printed every 15 degrees, every 10 degrees, or

every degree. Whatever lines they decide to print on the map or the globe, that doesn't mean

that those are the only latitudes there are, or the only ones you're allowed to use.

When you measure latitude accurately, you can tell the difference in latitude between two points

that may be only 1 inch apart. That's something like 0.00000023 of a degree of latitude, or

0.00082 of 1 'second' of latitude.

But even that isn't the smallest bit of latitude you're allowed to use. If you want to use slices of

latitude that describe the location to within a millimeter, or within 0.01 inch, you go right ahead.

The first number of latitude north of the equator that's available to you is whatever number

you

want to use, no matter how small it is. And whatever latitude you say is the first one north

of the equator, then no matter how close to the equator it is, I can always name a

different latitude that's closer to the equator than yours is.

Answer 3

A "line" can be drawn through any latitude you name. If you name a latitude and

then mark a little dot on the globe at every point that has that latitude, the dots

will eventually become so dense that they look like a line all the way around the

Earth. That line is a "parallel of latitude".

If you were expecting to see a list of the lines of latitude, forget it. There's no such

thing as a standard set of lines that everybody has to use. Some maps or globes

have a line printed every 10 degrees, some have a line every 15 degrees, or every

20 degrees or every 30 degrees, and some maps and globes have no lines at all.

I use mapping software that will give me 1,800 lines in every degree if I want them.

You can print a line through any latitude you want to, and you can have as few or

as many lines as you want on your map or globe. O f course, if you space them

too close together, you won't be able to see the cities and towns under the lines,

but you're certainly entitled to all the lines you want.

Answer 4

Lines of latitude north of the equator are called north latitude, while lines south of the equator are called south latitude. These lines are used to measure the angular distance of a location from the equator in degrees.

Answer 5

Any latitude north of the equator is called a "north latitude". It doesn't matter

whether there's a line printed there or not. Some maps have them, some don't.

Answer 6

The major lines of latitude labelled north of the equator include the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle.

Answer 7

There is no latitude that's found both north and south of the equator.