EARTH GEOMETRY

Earth Geometry is the study of location of places, the calculations of distances and the
determination of time difference between places on the earth’s surface.

LATITUDES: these are imaginary lines which move from east to west (parallel to equator)

LONGITUDES: these are imaginary lines which move from north to south.

GREAT CIRCLES: These are lines which divide the sphere into two parts. A great circle is an
imaginary line whose centre is that of the sphere ( earth)

SMALL CIRCLES: A small circle is an imaginary line whose centre not that of the sphere (earth)

READING OF POSITIONS ON THE EARTH’S SURFACE

In the diagram NTPS is the Green wich Meridian and the points P and Q are on the equator

Angle POQ = 500 and angle QOR = 450 Describe the position of the points P,Q, R and T.

We start with the horizontal line (state its degrees) followed by the vertical line (state its degrees)

P(0,0) Q(0, 500E) R(450N, 500E) T(450N, 0)

Examples
Lusaka is on latitude 150S and longitude 280E and Pretoria is on latitude 250S and longitude 280E. find
the difference in latitudes between Lusaka and Pretoria.

Since Lusaka and Pretoria are on the same side of the equator the difference in their latitudes is
given by the formula EOP-EOL = 250 -150 =100

Example 2

Mongu is on latitude 150 S and longitude 220 E and Victoria in South America is on latitude 150 S and
longitude 41W. Find the difference in their longitudes.

SOLUTION

MCG + GCV= 220 +410=630

CONLUSION:

Same latitude and same polarity = subtract .

Same latitude but different polarity = add

EXERCISE 1

1.Draw a large sketch of the earth and label it, the North pole and South pole , the Equator and the
Green which Meridian.

(a) Without measuring , mark in your diagram

(i) latitude 450N (ii) longitude 300 E (iii) A point P(450 N,300E

(b) on the same diagram show the position of a point Q (600 S, 300 W.

2. Find the difference in latitude or longitude in the following pairs of towns or points

(a) Gweru on latitude 190 S and longitude 300 E, Alexandria is on latitude 300 N and longitude 300 E.

(b) A point A is on latitude 580 N and 310 E. and point B is on latitude 580 N and longitude 1480 W

DISTANCE ALONG A CIRCLE OF LONGITUDE AND LATITUDES, RADIUS OF A CIRCLE.

r=R Cos x where R = radius of the Earth and x is the angle in the latitude

Example1 find the radius of a circle of latitude of 600 N given that the radius of the Earth is 6370 km.

Solution: r =R Cos x R = 6370

So r = 6370 x cos 600

r =0.5 x 6370

r = 3185 km.

Example 2 A circle of latitude has radius 4100 km. find the latitude given that radius of the
Earth is 6370 km.

Solution r = 4100 km, R = 6370 km so we have to find the angle x

 Cos x = 0.6436

Cos-1x =49.90

Latitude= 49.90

NAUTICAL MILE

it is another method of measuring distance on the surface of the Earth . Another name for
NAUTICAL mile is SEA MILE.

Nautical mile is the distance on a great circle which subtends an angle of 1 minute at the centre of
the Earth.

0
= (but 1’ =

So, ÷3600

c = 360 x 60

c = 21600 Nm

Therefore the circumference of the Earth is 21600 nautical miles.

SUMMARY
r= R cos x this is the formula used to calculate the radius of a circle

1. [ C= 2πr] but r = R cos x so, C=2πR cos x and this is the formula used to calculate the length
of the latitude

2. r = RCos0 – This is the formula used to calculate the radius of a circle

EXAMPLE: 1

1. Find the radius of the circle of 600 N given that the radius of the earth is 3437nm

SOLUTION

r = RCosX

= 3437nm X Cos 600

= 3437 X 0.5

= 1718.5nm

EXAMPLE: 2

2. Find the length of parallel of latitude 200 [Take π= 3.142, and R = 6370]

C=2πR cos Ф

C = 2 x 3.142 x 6370x cos 200

C = 2 x 3.142 x 6370 x 0.9397

C = 37603.4 km

The length of a latitude = 37603.4 km

EXAMPLE: 3

3. The length of latitude X0 N on the earth surface is 16500km. Calculate the value of X0

SOLUTION

C= 2πRCos 0 Cos 0 = C

2πR 2πR 2πR

Cos x = 16500km

2 X3.142 X6372

Cos x = 16500 KM

40029.08

Cosx= 65.70 or 660

 TASK

1. Given that the radius of the earth to be 6370Km , 3437NM and π=3.142 . Find the
radius of the circle of Latitude 450S

a) In Kilometers

b) In Nautical Miles

2. Calculate the circumference of the circle of Latitude 350N in

a) In Kilometers

b) In Nautical miles

3. A circle of latitude has a radius 2500km. Find the Latitude

DISTANCE ALONG A CIRCLE OF LONGITUDE

A and B lie on the same Longitude but different Latitudes

Arc AB = Z0 Arc AB = 2πR x Z0

2πR 3600 3600

Where Z is the different in Latitude or Arc AB = 2πR x Z0

1800

EXAMPLE: 1

1. Point A has latitude 200N and Longitude 300E and a point B has latitude 400S and longitude
300E . Find the distance between A and B along the meridian of longitude in

i) Kilometers

ii) Nautical miles ( Take π as 3.142 )

 SOLUTION

A and B are on opposite side of the equator . Therefore Same latitude but different
polarity = Add

Z= 200 + 400

Z= 600

Latitude 200N

Longitude 300E 0 Longitude 300E

Latitude 400S

i) Arc AB= 2πR x Z

3600

Arc AB = 2 X 3.142 X 6370 X 600 Arc AB = 6672 Km

3600

ii) Arc AB = 2 X 3.142 X 3437 X 600 Arc AB = 3599.7 NM

3600

DISTANCE ALONG A CIRCLE OF LATITUDE

C and D lie on the same latitude X0N . CDM = AOB= Y0 is the difference in the
Longitude between C and D

Arc CD = CMD
2π R 3600

Arc CD = 2πR Cosx X Y where X is the Latitude and Y is the difference in Longitude between C & D
3600
 EXAMPLE : 1

1. Point X lies on Latitude 600 N and Longitude 450 E , Point Y lies on latitude 600N and
Longitude 150E . Find the length of XY which lies along the circle of Longitude 15 0E in
Kilometers ( Take π as 3.142 )

Latitude 600N

Longitude 450E

Longitude 150E

SOLUTION
The two points X and Y lie on the side of the Greenwich Meridian . The difference in their Longitude
is 450 – 150 = 300

Arc XY = 2π R Cosx X Y
3600

Arc XY = 2 X 3.142 X 6370 X Cos 600 X 300

3600
Arc XY= 2X 3.142 X 6370 X 0.5 X 30
3600
Arc XY = 1667. 9 KM or 1668 KM

TASK

Through this task take radius of the earth to be 6370KM or 3437 NM and π as 3.142

1. Two town on the equator have longitude 120 W and 370E . Find the distance between the
two towns

a) In Kilometers

b) In Nautical miles

2. Lusaka is Latitude 150S and Longitude 280E and Pretoria is on Latitude 250S and Longitude
280E . Find the distance along the meridian of longitude

a) In Kilometers

b) In Nautical miles
 3. Mongu and Victoria (South America) lie on the same latitude 150S . Mongu is on Longitude
220E and Victoria is on Longitude 410W. Find in Kilometers the distance between the towns
along the parallel of latitude.

THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN POINTS

The shortest possible distance between the points on the earth’s surface is the distance
along the greatest circle whose radius is that of the earth.

Example 1.
A and B are two points on latitude 700 N their longitudes are 620 W and 1180 E respectively. Find the
distance from A to B.

(a) along the great circle

(b) along a parallel latitude

Solution:

The longitudes of A and B differ by 1800 [same latitude but different polarity= add] hence A
and B lie on the same meridian ( a great circle passing through the North pole) as shown in
the diagram.

In Diagram (b) O is the centre of the earth.

AOB = 1800 – 2 X 700 = 40

X2πR

(b) Distance from A to B along the parallel of latitude

= ½ x circumference of the small circle, 700N

= ½ x 2πr cos 700

= ½ x 40000 x 0.3420 km

= 6840 km

Notice that the great-circle distance between A and B is much shorter than the small circle distance
between A and B.

SPEED IN NAUTICAL PER HOUR

The unit of measure of speed in nautical mile per hour is a KNOT. For instance, 5 knots means 5
nautical miles per hour.

EXAMPLE: 1

1.A plane flies due north from town A (300 S, 150 E) in 12 hours. Find the speed of the plane,
taking the radius of the earth to be3437 nautical miles and π to be 3.142.

SOLUTION

The difference between A and B is 300 + 300 = 600. The distance between A and B is therefore

AB = 2π R x Speed = distance/time

= 3599.7/12 or 3600/12

Speed = 300 KNOTS

AB = 2 x 3.142 x 3437 x 1/6

= 3.142 x 3437/3

AB = 3599Nm

AB = 3599.7 Nm

TIME
The earth rotates on its axis from West to East making a complete rotation 360 in 24 hours. It
therefore rotates 15 in one hour. The world is divided into time zones which are determined from
the universal timeline at the Greenwich meridian. The universal time is called GREENWICH
MERIDIAN TIME (G.M.T) For every 15 moved to the east of the Greenwich meridian one hour is
gained in time and a time of one hour is lost to west.

EXAMPLE: 1

1) Alexandria is on longitude 300E. what is the local time in Alexandria if it is 06:00 hours G.M.T

SOLUTION

Method 1

10 = 4 minutes

= 2hours

Local time in Alexandria is 06:00 + 2 hours = 08:00hours.

Method 2

Longitude of Alexandria is300 E, therefore local time is 30/15 = 2hours ahead of G.M.T.

Local time in Alexandria is 06:00 hours + 2 hours = 08:00 hours.

2) If local time in time in Washington 770 W is 06:00 hours. Find the time in Alexandria 300 E.

SOLUTION

The difference in longitude between Washington and Alexandria is

770 + 300 = 1070

The difference in local time = 1070 /15= 7 or 7 hours

Local time in Alexandria is06:00 + 7 hours = 13 hours.

TASK

1. Find the Local time at each of the places if it is 07:00hours GMT

a) Dakar 150W b) Lima 600W

c) Denver 900W d) Kinshasa 150 E

 (e) Aden 450 E f) Entebbe 280W

g) Accra 750W h) Perth 1200E

i) Stockholm 2250E j) Oslo 1750 E

PRODUCED BY MR. SAKALA. S.J.

CALL: 0979-669788 OR 0965-669788 OR 0216-223834