Step 3
On the meridian plane of
50W, mark angle QOH = 40 from the
equator to the north. Sketch and label
the parallel of latitude that passes through
Q, which is 40N.
Mark the intersection point as N Q.
DISTANCE ON THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH
Finding the length of Arc of a Great Circle in Nautical Mile
Two places A and B lie on the equator, with
longitude 23W and 24W respectively.
The angle subtends at the centre of the
earth, O, is angle AOB and has a value 1.
The distance from A to B on the surface of
the earth is equivalent to 60 nautical
miles. Since 1 = 60',
then 1' = 1 nautical mile.
The nautical mile is defined as the length
of arc of a great circle on the earths
surface which subtends an angle of 1' at
the centre of the earth.
Figure above shows a great
circle through the plane cutting
across the polar axis NOS
Figure above shows a globe
with WABCED as the equator.
F
Arc Angle subtends
at earths centre
Distance
computation
Distance in nautical miles
DE 15
O
15 x 60 900.n.m.
EF 45
o
45 x 60 2700.n.m.
Arc Angle subtends
at earths centre
Distance
computation
Distance in nautical miles
AB 20
O
20 x 60 1200.n.m.
BC 90
o
90 x 60 5400.n.m.
CD 50
o
50 x 60 300.n.m
The distance along the equator
between J and R is 1234
nautical miles. Find the angle
subtended by the arc JR at the
earths centre, O.
Distance between J and R = 1234
nautical miles. =JOR = 1234'
= 2034'
The angle subtended by the arc JR
at the earths centre is 2034'.
Finding the length of an arc of a great circle in nautical mile,
given the subtended angle at the centre of the earth and vice versa.
Convert the angle to minutes and hence you can determine the
distance between the two points along the meridian in nautical miles.
Points A and B on
longitude 35W.
The difference in latitude
between A and B
= (70 - 35)
= 35 x 60 = 2100'
The distance between A
and B along the meridian
is 2100 nautical miles.
Points A and B on
longitude 123E.
The difference in latitude
between A and B
= (65 - 15)
= 50 x 60 = 3000'
The distance between A
and B along the meridian
is 3000 nautical miles.
Points A and B on
longitude 93W.
The difference in latitude
between A and B
= (73
o
54 + 47
o
16)
= 121 10
= 121X 60 + 10
= 7270
The distance between A
and B along the meridian
is 7270 nautical miles.
Finding the latitude of a point given the latitude of another point and the
distance between the two points along the same meridian.
If you are given the distance between two points and the latitude of any
one of the points, then the latitude of the second point can be determined.
a) A and B are both located north of the equator.
The distance between A and B along the meridian
is 600 nautical miles and the location of B is
(15N, 101E) Difference in latitude = 600 60
= 10
Since A is north of B, latitude for A is (15 + 10)N
= 25N
b) A is north of the equator and B (2310'S, 50W)
is south of the equator.
Distance A from B along the meridian is 240nautical miles.
Difference in latitude = 2400 60
= 40
Since A is north of the equator, latitude for A is
(40 - 2310')N = 1650'N
The distance between 2 points A and B along a great
circle = 60 x nautical miles, where is an angle
subtended by the arc AB at the center of a great circle.
N
S
W E
O
A B
60 E
40 W
= 40 + 60
= 100
The distance between
A and B along the
equator
= 60 x 100
= 6000 nautical miles
Great Circle
(equator)
Horizontal
N
S
W
E
O
A
40 N
= 40 + 70
= 110
The distance between
A and B along the
meridian
= 60 x 110
= 6600 nautical miles
Great Circle
(meridian)
B
70 S
Vertical
Finding the distance between two points measured along the
equator, given the longitudes of both points.
The only parallel of latitude which is a great circle is the Equator. The
distance between two
points on the equator is the difference in longitude in minutes.
The globe shows 4 points P, G, R and T on the
equator. NGS is the Greenwich Meridian. The
diagram below the globe is the cross-sectional
view of earth through the equatorial plane.
The distance PG = 56 x 60
= 3360 nautical miles.
The distance GR = 20 x 60
= 1200 nautical miles.
The distance RT = (52 x 60) + 12
= 3132 nautical miles.
Finding the longitude of a point given the longitude of another point
and the distance between the two points along the equator.
Stating the relation between the radius of the earth and the radius of a
parallel of latitude
As we know, the radius of the equator is the radius of the earth, R. As
we move northward or southward, the radius of the parallel of latitude
becomes shorter and shorter until the North or South Pole when the
radius becomes zero.
Observe the point P with latitude X N, and Q is the centre of the
parallel of latitude on which P lies. Since angle OPQ and angle POT are
alternate, angle OPQ = X
o
.
T
Find the relationship between the radius of the parallel of latitude
60N, r, and the radius of the earth, R.
Radius of parallel of latitude 60= Radius of earth x cos 60
r = R cos 60
r = R x 0.5
:. r = 0.5 R
Stating the relation between the length of an arc on the equator
between two meridians and the length of the corresponding arc on a
parallel of latitude.
If R = radius of earth and r = radius of a parallel of
latitude , then we can obtain the ratio.
Find the distance of AB measured along parallel of latitude
a) A (28
o
N, 18
o
E), B (28
o
N, 107
o
E)
b) A (37
o
S, 108
o
W) , B (37
o
S, 5
o
W)
The distance between 2 points A and B along the circle
of latitude x N or x S = 60 x x cos x nautical mailes,
where is the angle subtended by the arc AB at the
centre of the circle latitude.
A B
50 E
40 W
O
N
S
50 N
= 40 + 50
= 90
And x = 50
The distance between
A and B along
latitude 50 N
= 60 x x cos x
= 60 x 90 x cos 50
= 3471 nautical miles
Find the distance of AB measured along parallel of latitude
c) A (63
o
N, 23
o
E), B (63
o
N, 74.5
o
W)
d) A (42
o
5S, 37
o
14W),B(42
o
5S, 94
o
50
E)
Finding the longitude of a point given the longitude of another point
and the distance between the two points along a parallel of latitude.
Finding the shortest distance between two points on the surface of
the earth.
The shortest distance between two points on the surface of the
earth is along the great circle which passes through both points.
solving problems involving
a) distance between two points,
b) travelling on the surface of the earth.
P(61
o
N,10
o
E) and Q are two points on the surface of the earth such
that PQ is the diameter of a parallel of latitude
(a) Find the longitude of Q [ 1 mark ]
(b) PR is the diameter of the earth, On the diagram mark the position
of Q and R , Hence, state the position of R [ 4 marks]
(c) Calculate the shortest distance, in nautical mile, from Q to the
North Pole.[ 2 marks ]
(d) An airplane took off from P and flew due west a long its parallel of
latitude with an average speed of 500 knot. The airplane took 9
hours to reach a point M.
(e) Calculate
(i) the distance, in nautical miles, from P to M
(ii) the longitude of M
N
S
P
Equator