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- Locating places: compass, latitude and grid references
Locating places: compass, latitude and grid references
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Geographers need to say exactly where things are, on a world map and on a local map. These are the tools you will use in every GCSE paper.
Compass directions
The four main points are north, east, south and west. Between them are north-east (NE), south-east (SE), south-west (SW) and north-west (NW), making eight points.
On most maps north is at the top.
Opposite directions: N and S, E and W, NE and SW, NW and SE.
On most maps north is at the top.
Opposite directions: N and S, E and W, NE and SW, NW and SE.
The world: latitude and longitude
There are 7 continents (Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia or Oceania, Europe, North America, South America) and 5 oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, Arctic).
Latitude lines run east to west and measure how far north or south of the Equator (0°) a place is. The North Pole is at 90°N. The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are at about 23.5°N and 23.5°S.
Longitude lines run from pole to pole and measure how far east or west of the Prime Meridian (0°), which passes through Greenwich in London.
Latitude lines run east to west and measure how far north or south of the Equator (0°) a place is. The North Pole is at 90°N. The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn are at about 23.5°N and 23.5°S.
Longitude lines run from pole to pole and measure how far east or west of the Prime Meridian (0°), which passes through Greenwich in London.
Grid references
Ordnance Survey (OS) maps have a grid of numbered lines.
Eastings are the lines numbered along the bottom; northings are numbered up the side. Read along the corridor, then up the stairs.
A four-figure grid reference names a square using the lines at its bottom-left corner: easting 34 and northing 61 gives 3461.
A six-figure reference adds tenths: a point 3 tenths across and 7 tenths up square 3461 is 343617.
Eastings are the lines numbered along the bottom; northings are numbered up the side. Read along the corridor, then up the stairs.
A four-figure grid reference names a square using the lines at its bottom-left corner: easting 34 and northing 61 gives 3461.
A six-figure reference adds tenths: a point 3 tenths across and 7 tenths up square 3461 is 343617.
A church is 5 tenths across and 2 tenths up in the square whose bottom-left corner is easting 27, northing 84. Give its six-figure grid reference.
- Easting first: 27, then 5 tenths across, giving 275.
- Then northing: 84, then 2 tenths up, giving 842.
- Put them together.
Answer: 275842
Eight compass points; north at the top. 7 continents, 5 oceans. Latitude from the Equator (0°) to the poles (90°); longitude from the Prime Meridian (0°) at Greenwich. Grid references: eastings first, then northings.
The interactive lesson includes the diagrams for this topic.
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