I understand the equator and the Prime Meridian separately, but I get confused about how to actually pin down one place using both lines together. Can someone explain it simply?
Think of latitude and longitude as a grid address for any point on Earth. Latitudes are horizontal lines running east-west, measured north or south of the Equator (0 degrees) up to 90 degrees at the poles. Longitudes are vertical lines running north-south, measured east or west of the Prime Meridian (0 degrees) up to 180 degrees. To locate a place, you state both: first how far north or south (latitude), then how far east or west (longitude). For example, Mumbai is roughly 19 degrees N, 73 degrees E. Where these two lines cross is the exact spot. A useful memory trick: latitude lines are like the rungs of a ladder (flat), and they tell you climate zones too, since places near the Equator are hot and places near the poles are cold.
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