Alaska
Based on the question asking which of the CONTIGUOUS ([adj] connecting without a break; within a common boundary; "the 48 conterminous states"; "the contiguous 48 states" )48 states extends farthest north the answer would be Minnesota (49° 23' 4" north latitude) over Maine (47° 28' north latitude). Alaska is not, by definition, a part of the CONTIGUOUS (or lower) 48 states, neither is Hawaii. If the question had asked what is the most northern state, then Alaska would be the correct answer.
References
http:/hyperdictionary.com/search.aspx?define=contiguous *** definition of contiguous
http:/www.netstate.com/states/geography/me_geography.htm ***Maine's latitude
http:/www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/history/mnstatehistory/locating_minnesota.html ***Minnesota's latitude
Minnesota.
Florida (24.45° north latitude)
South is Florida. North is Lake of the Woods Minnesota.
Maine
In the contiguous 48 states, Minnesota extends slightly farther north than other western states (Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota).The farthest south is Florida, where the Keys extend below 25°N latitude, the approximate southern limit of Texas.
The US state that is furthest south in the continental 48 states is Florida. Hawaii is by far the furthest south of all US states (18 degrees, 55 minutes).
For the 48 contiguous US states, Minnesota extends the farthest north. The Angle Inlet of northern Minnesota at 49°23'N is north of the 49° boundary between the U.S. and Canada. For all 50 US states, Alaska extends the farthest north.
Alaska is the US state that is the farthest north and the farthest west. However, if you are asking about the 48 contiguous US states, Washington state is the most northwestern US state.
The answer for which is farther north( Washington or Oregon.) is Washington
Minnesota is farther north than North Dakota. Northwest Angle, Minnesota is the only place in the contiguous United States north of the 49th parallel.
The State of Washington is the furthest northwest of the contiguous states.
Maine is the state that extends the farthest east in the United States. Its easternmost point is West Quoddy Head, which is the easternmost point of the contiguous United States.