1. The latitude at 23½°N is called the 14.

At the poles, the lines of latitude are

__________. just __________.
Answer: Tropic of Cancer Answer: Points or dots
2. The __________ is the line of longitude 15. The __________ marks the northern
marked as 0°. boundary of the Torrid Zone.
Answer: Prime Meridian Answer: Tropic of Cancer
3. The angular distance of a place north or 16. Each degree of latitude is roughly equal
south of the Equator is called __________. to __________ km.
Answer: Latitude Answer: 111
4. The __________ Zone is the hottest region 17. The __________ separates one day from
on Earth. another.
Answer: Torrid Answer: International Date Line
5. The __________ passes through Greenwich, 18. The area between the Tropic of Cancer
near London. and the Arctic Circle is called the
Answer: Prime Meridian __________ Zone.
6. The latitude 66½°S is known as the Answer: Temperate
__________. 19. The __________ is the only parallel of
Answer: Antarctic Circle latitude that is a Great Circle.
7. The Earth is divided into Eastern and Answer: Equator
Western Hemispheres by the __________. 20. The time at the Prime Meridian is
Answer: Prime Meridian known as __________.
8. The __________ divides the Earth into two Answer: Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
equal hemispheres.
1. The latitude at 90°S is called:
Answer: Equator
a) Arctic Circle
9. __________ invented the concept of
b) Tropic of Capricorn
latitude and longitude.
c) South Pole
Answer: Eratosthenes
d) Antarctic Circle
10. The Tropic of Capricorn lies __________
Answer: c
of the Equator.
2. The longitude opposite to the Prime
Answer: South
Meridian is:
11. The total number of longitudes is
a) 0° Longitude
__________.
b) 90° Longitude
Answer: 360
c) 180° Longitude
12. The latitude marking the Arctic Circle is
d) 360° Longitude
__________.
Answer: c
Answer: 66½°N
3. How many total latitudes are there?
13. The __________ is the largest parallel of
a) 180
latitude.
b) 181
Answer: Equator
 c) 360 3. The hottest zone on Earth: __________
d) 90 Answer: Torrid Zone
Answer: b 4. The latitude located at 23½°N: __________
4. Which latitude divides the Earth into two Answer: Tropic of Cancer
equal halves? 5. The angular distance measured from the
a) Tropic of Cancer Prime Meridian: __________
b) Equator Answer: Longitude
c) Antarctic Circle 6. The circle of longitude where time
d) Tropic of Capricorn changes: __________
Answer: b Answer: International Date Line
5. The lines of longitude converge at:
1. Why is the Equator the largest parallel of
a) Equator
latitude?
b) Tropics
Answer: The Equator is the widest circle
c) Poles
on the Earth's surface and divides the
d) Arctic Circle
Earth into two equal halves, making it the
Answer: c
largest parallel of latitude.
1. The Arctic Circle lies at 66½°S. (False) 2. Why are time zones based on longitudes?
2. The Equator is a Great Circle. (True) Answer: Longitudes determine the
3. Longitude determines time zones. (True) Earth's rotation, and each 15° of
4. The Torrid Zone lies between the Tropic longitude corresponds to one hour,
of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. (True) making them suitable for dividing time
5. The South Pole is located at zones.
90°N. (False)
F. Match the Following
6. The International Date Line runs along the
180° longitude. (True)
1. Prime Meridian → (c) 0° Longitude
7. All lines of latitude are equal in
2. Tropic of Cancer → (e) 23½°N
length. (False)
3. Antarctic Circle → (b) 66½
8. 23½°N is the Tropic of Capricorn. (False)
4. °S
9. The Prime Meridian is numbered as
5. Frigid Zone → (a) Polar Regions
0°. (True)
6. International Date Line → (d) 180°
10. There are 360 lines of latitude. (False)
Longitude

1. The largest parallel of latitude: __________

1. What is the significance of the Great
Answer: Equator
Circle?
2. The latitude dividing the Earth into
Answer: The Great Circle, such as the
Northern and Southern Hemispheres:
Equator, represents the shortest route
__________
between two points on Earth, making it
Answer: Equator
important for navigation.
2. Why do lines of longitude converge at the center, measured north/south of the Equator
poles? for latitudes.
Answer: Longitude lines represent
4. How does the EGA-WLS formula
angular distances and converge at the
simplify time calculations across
poles due to the Earth's spherical shape.
longitudes?
1. Explain the importance of the Geographic Answer: EGA (East-Gain-Add) adds 4
Grid in locating places. minutes per degree east of a reference; WLS
Answer: The Geographic Grid is a system (West-Lose-Subtract) subtracts 4 minutes per
of imaginary lines of latitude and degree west.
longitude that intersect to pinpoint the
5. Why does the distance between two
location of any place on Earth. Latitude
longitudes reduce poleward?
provides the north-south position, while
Answer: Longitudes converge at the poles,
longitude gives the east-west position.
reducing the circumferential distance from
This system is essential for navigation,
111 km at the Equator to 0 km at the poles.
mapping, and understanding Earth's
geography.
6. What is the significance of the 180°
longitude in timekeeping?
HOTS Short Answer Questions (20)
Answer: It serves as the International Date
1. How do lines of latitude differ from Line (IDL), where crossing it changes the
lines of longitude in terms of their calendar date by one day.
geometric properties?
7. How does the Prime Meridian
Answer: Lines of latitude are parallel, full
facilitate global time standardization?
circles decreasing in length toward the poles,
Answer: It establishes Greenwich Mean Time
while longitudes are semicircles converging
(GMT), the reference for global time zones
at the poles and equal in length.
and standard time calculations.
2. Why is the Equator the only line of
8. Why are there 24 time zones
latitude that is a Great Circle?
globally?
Answer: The Equator passes through the
Answer: Earth rotates 360° in 24 hours,
Earth’s center, satisfying the Great Circle
dividing into 15°-wide zones (360/24) where
definition (radius equal to Earth’s radius).
each zone represents a 1-hour difference.
Other latitudes are smaller circles.

9. Analyze the error in stating "The

3. Explain the term "angular distance"
People of Cancer is at 33% north of the
in the context of latitudes.
Equator."
Answer: Angular distance is the angle (in
Answer: The correct term is "Tropic of
degrees) a place makes with the Earth’s
Cancer" at 23.5°N, not 33%. The percentage
symbol is a typo for degrees.
10. How do Great Circles aid aviation 75° × 4 min = 300 min = 5 hours. 45°E is
and shipping routes? ahead of 30°W by 5 hours.
Answer: They represent the shortest path
17. Why is the length of the Arctic Circle
(arc) between two points on Earth’s surface,
shorter than the Equator?
saving time and fuel.
Answer: Latitudes shrink poleward; Arctic
11. Why does India have a single time Circle (66.5°N) is a smaller parallel than the
zone despite its large east-west extent? Equator (0°).
Answer: For administrative uniformity, India
18. What error exists in the statement:
uses 82°30'E as its central meridian (IST),
"The Equator divides Earth into
spanning 68°E–97°E under one zone.
Northern and Eastern Hemispheres"?
12. What happens to local time as you Answer: Equator divides Earth into
move from Gujarat to Assam? Northern/Southern Hemispheres, not Eastern.
Answer: Time increases eastward; Assam Prime Meridian defines Eastern/Western.
(east) is ahead of Gujarat (west) by ~2 hours
19. How is the Indian Standard Time
due to longitudinal difference (~30°).
(IST) derived from GMT?
13. Why is the Torrid Zone the hottest Answer: IST = GMT + 5h30m (82.5°E × 4
climatic region? min = 330 min), as India lies east of the
Answer: It lies between the Tropics (23.5°N– Prime Meridian.
23.5°S), receiving direct sunlight year-round,
20. Why do places on the same
maximizing solar intensity.
longitude share the same local time?
14. How does the International Date Answer: They experience noon
Line avoid splitting countries into two simultaneously as the Sun crosses their
dates? shared meridian at the same time.
Answer: It zigzags around landmasses (e.g.,
Bering Strait, Fiji) to prevent local
administrative confusion.
HOTS Long Answer Questions (20)

15. Why are all meridians of longitude

1. Discuss the role of the Geographic
considered Great Circles?
Grid in modern GPS technology.
Answer: Each meridian forms a semicircle,
Answer: The grid’s latitude-longitude system
and its diametrically opposite counterpart
provides coordinates for GPS to pinpoint
completes a full Great Circle.
locations, enabling navigation, mapping, and
geolocation services. Satellites use angular
16. Calculate the time difference
distances (degrees) referenced to the
between 45°E and 30°W longitudes.
Equator (latitude) and Prime Meridian
Answer: Total difference = 45° + 30° = 75°;
(longitude) to triangulate positions.
2. Explain how latitudes influence lack synchronization, and international
climatic zones, with examples. coordination (e.g., stock markets) would fail.
Answer: Latitudes determine solar
6. Explain why the International Date
exposure:
Line is not straight.
 Torrid Zone (0°–23.5°): Direct Answer: To avoid splitting countries/islands
sunlight → hot climate (e.g., Amazon into two dates, the IDL bends around Siberia
Rainforest). (Russia), Fiji, and Aleutian Islands (USA),
 Temperate Zones (23.5°– ensuring territorial date unity.
66.5°): Moderate sunlight → seasonal
7. Compare the Arctic Circle and Tropic
variations (e.g., Europe).
of Cancer in terms of location and
 Frigid Zones (66.5°–90°): Slanted
significance.
rays → cold (e.g., Antarctica).
Answer:
3. Analyze the importance of the Prime
 Arctic Circle (66.5°N): Marks polar
Meridian in global timekeeping.
day/night limits; defines the Frigid
Answer: As 0° longitude, it anchors GMT,
Zone.
standardizing global time zones. Countries
 Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N): Marks
reference their time zones as GMT±X,
northernmost Sun position (summer
ensuring synchronized activities (e.g., flight
solstice); defines the Torrid Zone.
schedules, financial markets).

8. How do Great Circles optimise flight

4. Describe the process of calculating
routes? Provide real-world examples.
time differences using the EGA-WLS
Answer: Great Circle routes shorten
formula with an example.
distances. Example: New York to London
Answer:
follows a northern arc (Great Circle) over
 Example: If it is 12:00 PM at 30°E, Newfoundland, reducing flight time
what is the time at 15°W? compared to a straight map route.
 Difference: 30°E to 15°W = 45° west.
9. Discuss the relationship between the
 WLS: 45 × 4 = 180 min (3 hours)
Prime Meridian and the International
subtracted.
Date Line.
 Result: 12:00 PM – 3h = 9:00 AM.
Answer: They are diametrically opposite (0°
5. Evaluate the consequences of not vs. 180°), creating a 12-hour time difference.
having standardized time zones. Crossing IDL adjusts dates, while Prime
Answer: Chaos in transportation, Meridian anchors global time (GMT).
communication, and commerce due to
10. Why is the Equator critical in
inconsistent local times. Trains/flights would
geographic studies?
Answer: It is the baseline for latitude (0°),
divides Earth into hemispheres, and hosts to inaccuracies. The lack of coordinates
unique climatic/ecological systems (e.g., caused shipwrecks, delayed voyages, and
tropical rainforests). inability to map uncharted territories.

11. Analyze the statement: “All 16. Why is the Prime Meridian at
meridians are Great Circles, but not all Greenwich, and not elsewhere?
Great Circles are meridians.” Answer: Historical adoption: The 1884
Answer: True. Meridians (longitudes) are International Meridian Conference chose
Great Circles passing through poles. Greenwich due to Britain’s naval dominance
However, Great Circles like the Equator or and existing maritime charts using GMT.
oblique routes (e.g., flight paths) do not align
17. Explain the term “local time” and its
with meridians.
dependency on longitude.
12. Explain how India’s central meridian Answer: Local time is based on the Sun’s
(82°30'E) was chosen for IST. position at a specific longitude. Each 1°
Answer: It bisects India’s east-west span east/west shifts time by 4 minutes, as Earth
(68°E–97°E) to minimize local time variation. rotates 15°/hour.
82.5°E ensures a single time zone for
18. How do time zones accommodate
administrative simplicity. ***
countries with large longitudinal spans?
13. Describe the role of latitudes in Answer: Large countries (e.g., USA, Russia)
dividing Earth into thermal zones. adopt multiple zones. Example: Russia has
Answer: Latitudes determine solar angle: 11 zones, each ~15° apart, to align local
solar time with clock time.
 Torrid Zone: High angle → intense
heat. 19. Evaluate the statement: “The
 Temperate Zones: Moderate angle → Equator is the longest line of latitude
mild seasons. but not a Great Circle.”
 Frigid Zones: Low angle → cold. Answer: Incorrect. The Equator is both the
longest latitude (40,075 km) and a Great
14. How does the angular distance of 1°
Circle, as it passes through Earth’s center.
translate to kilometers on Earth’s
surface? 20. Describe the process of locating
Answer: 1° ≈ 111 km (Earth’s circumference New York (41°N, 74°W) using the
~40,075 km / 360°). This applies to latitude Geographic Grid.
and longitude (at Equator). Answer:

15. Discuss the challenges faced by 1. Locate 41°N latitude (parallel north of
early navigators without latitude- Equator).
longitude systems. 2. Find 74°W longitude (meridian west of
Answer: Relied on stars/landmarks, leading Prime Meridian).
3. Intersection pinpoints New York on the
grid.