EARTH as a SPHERE - Form 5

Concept: Understanding of the position of Latitude and Longitude is very important. 1. Latitude begins at the equator (0) and ends at the North Pole (90 N) and South Pole (90 S). 2. Latitudes are all circles, the equator being the biggest and the North Pole and South Pole as a single dot. 3. Longitudes or Meridians are semi-circle lines from the North Pole to the South Pole. 4. Longitudes begin from the Greenwich Meridian (0 MG) and ends at 180 (180 International Date Line/IDL) . This means that Longitudes from 0 MG goes East until 179 E and goes West until 179 W.

Positions of points on the surface of the earth: 1. All points on the surface of the earth are located as P(latitude....., longitude......) 2. The important thing is to know the difference in degree between two points. e.g. 1 : P (0, 40 E) Q (0, 30 W) Therefore, the difference = 70. e.g. 2: M(30 N, 50 W) N (20 S, 50 W) Therefore, the difference = 50.

Distance between Two points/places: There are only 2 ways of calculating the distance between two places on the surface of the earth. 1. If the two points/places are between North and South (one in the North and the other in the South), then the Distance = difference in degrees X 60 eg. P(30 N, 70 W) Q (20 S, 70 W) Distance = 50 x 60 = 3000 nautical miles. 2. If the two points/places are between East and West (ie. along the common latitude), then the Distance = difference in degrees X 60 X Cosine of the common latitude eg. P(60 N, 40 E) Q (60 N, 30 W) Distance = 70 x 60 x cos 60N = 2100 nautical miles.

Calculations involving Speed, Time and Distance: 1. If there is a question on this matter, then use the simple law: Speed = Distance/Time. 2. The speed is usually given in he question. 3. The distance is calculated using the formula above (as in this topic - distance between two points) 4. So, Time = Distance/Speed. That's about all... You can now try solving questions on this topic... Have a nice day...

BEARINGs.. (SPM)

A directional compass is shown below. It is used to find a direction or bearing .

The four main directions of a compass are known as cardinal points. They are north (N), east (E), south (S) and west (W). Sometimes, the half-cardinal points of north-east (NE), north-west (NW), south-east (SE) and south-west (SW) are shown on the compass. The above compass shows degree measurements from 0 to 360 in 10 intervals with: north representing 000 or 360 east representing 090 south representing 180 west representing 270

The true bearing to a point is the angle measured in degrees in a clockwise direction from the north line. We will refer to the true bearing simply as the bearing.

For example, the bearing of point P is 065 which is the number of degrees in the angle measured in a clockwise direction from the north line to the line joining the centre of the compass at O with the point P (i.e. OP).

The bearing of point Q is 300 which is the number of degrees in the angle measured in a clockwise direction from the north line to the line joining the centre of the compass at O with the point Q (i.e. OQ). Note: The bearing of a point is the number of degrees in the angle measured in a clockwise direction from the north line to the line joining the centre of the compass with the point. A bearing is used to represent the direction of one point relative to another point. For example, the bearing of A from B is 065. The bearing of B from A is 245.

Note:
Three figures are used to give bearings. All bearings are measured in a horizontal plane.

Examples: State the bearing of the point P in each of the following diagrams:

Solution:
a. Mark the angle in a clockwise direction by indicating the turn between the north line and the line joining the centre of the compass to the pointP.

The bearing of point P is 048. b. Mark the angle in a clockwise direction by indicating the turn between the north line and the line joining the centre of the compass to the pointP.

The cardinal point S corresponds to 180. It is clear from the diagram that the required angle is 60 larger than 180. So, the angle measured in a clockwise direction from the north line to the line joining the centre of the compass to point P is 180 + 60 = 240. So, the bearing of point P is 240. c. Mark the angle in a clockwise direction by indicating the turn between the north line and the line joining the centre of the compass to the pointP.

The cardinal point S corresponds to 180. It is clear from the diagram that the required angle is 40 less than 180. So, the angle measured in a clockwise direction from the north line to the line joining the centre of the compass to point P is 180 40 = 140. So, the bearing of point P is 140. d. Mark the angle in a clockwise direction by indicating the turn between the north line and the line joining the centre of the compass to the pointP.

The cardinal point W corresponds to 270. It is clear from the diagram that the required angle is 20 larger than 270. So, the angle measured in a clockwise direction from the north line to the line joining the centre of the compass to point P is 270 + 20 = 290. So, the bearing of point P is 290.