Certified Flight Instructor - Flight Instructor Airplane Practice Exam

Which of the following statements about longitude and latitude is accurate?

1. Lines of longitude are parallel to the Equator

2. Lines of longitude cross the Equator at right angles

3. The 0° line of latitude passes through Greenwich, England

4. Lines of latitude are referenced from the Prime Meridian

The correct answer is: Lines of longitude cross the Equator at right angles

The accurate statement regarding longitude and latitude is that lines of longitude cross the Equator at right angles. This is a fundamental aspect of how geographical coordinates are defined. Lines of longitude, also known as meridians, run from the North Pole to the South Pole, and they are used to measure how far east or west a location is from the Prime Meridian, which is designated as 0° longitude. When these lines of longitude intersect the Equator, which is at 0° latitude, they do so at a right angle because of the perpendicular relationship between the vertical meridians and the horizontal line of latitude that constitutes the Equator. The other options do not accurately describe the relationship between latitude and longitude. Lines of latitude, unlike lines of longitude, run parallel to the Equator and measure how far north or south a location is from it, which makes the first option incorrect. The Prime Meridian is the reference point for lines of longitude, not latitude; it runs vertically and is different from latitude, which measures positions vertically. Thus, the idea that lines of latitude are referenced from the Prime Meridian is also incorrect. Finally, it is important to note that the 0° line of latitude does NOT pass through Greenwich, England; instead