Which term is used for the line that measures distance north or south of the Equator?

Which term is used for the line that measures distance north or south of the Equator?

• A. Longitude
• B. Latitude
• C. Tropics
• D. Elevation

Answer: (B)

Distance north or south of the Equator is described using latitude. Latitude is measured in degrees, with 0° at the Equator and 90° at each pole, so it tells you how far north or south a place sits. The lines that represent latitude run east–west around the globe and are called parallels. This is different from longitude, which measures east–west position relative to the Prime Meridian and runs north–south. Elevation refers to how high a location is above sea level, not its distance from the Equator. The Tropics are specific lines of latitude (about 23.5° north and south) that mark climate zones, not the general measure of north-south position. So the line that measures distance north or south of the Equator is latitude.

Distance north or south of the Equator is described using latitude. Latitude is measured in degrees, with 0° at the Equator and 90° at each pole, so it tells you how far north or south a place sits. The lines that represent latitude run east–west around the globe and are called parallels. This is different from longitude, which measures east–west position relative to the Prime Meridian and runs north–south. Elevation refers to how high a location is above sea level, not its distance from the Equator. The Tropics are specific lines of latitude (about 23.5° north and south) that mark climate zones, not the general measure of north-south position. So the line that measures distance north or south of the Equator is latitude.