Latitude and Longitude — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
Lines of longitude run from east to west around Earth.
Corrected: Lines of longitude run from north to south around Earth.
Grade 5 students learn that longitude lines, called meridians, run north-south from pole to pole and measure east or west position.
2. Fix the sentence:
The Prime Meridian is found at 180 degrees longitude.
Corrected: The Prime Meridian is found at 0 degrees longitude.
In Grade 5 geography, the Prime Meridian is at 0 degrees and divides Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
3. Fix the sentence:
Longitude is measured north or south of the Prime Meridian.
Corrected: Longitude is measured east or west of the Prime Meridian.
Grade 5 learners use longitude to tell how far a place is east or west of the Prime Meridian, which sits at 0 degrees.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Lines of longitude are also known as meridians.
In Grade 5 geography, longitude lines are called meridians because they all meet at the North and South Poles.
2. The Prime Meridian is labeled 0 degrees longitude.
Grade 5 students learn the Prime Meridian is set at 0 degrees and is the reference for all longitude values.
3. Longitude values range from 0 degrees to 180 degrees.
In Grade 5 social studies, longitude reaches 180 degrees east or west, and that line is on the opposite side of Earth from the Prime Meridian.
4. Longitude lines measure distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.
Grade 5 learners label every longitude value as east or west of the Prime Meridian to show its hemisphere.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Why do lines of longitude meet at the poles instead of staying parallel?
Sample answer: Lines of longitude run from the North Pole to the South Pole, so they all come together at each pole. Grade 5 students notice they are farthest apart at the Equator and pinch closer until they meet at the top and bottom of Earth.
In Grade 5 geography, meridians curve around Earth and converge at the poles, unlike parallels which stay the same distance apart.
2. How does the Prime Meridian help us describe locations on Earth?
Sample answer: The Prime Meridian is the 0-degree line of longitude that splits Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Grade 5 students use it as a starting point to say how many degrees east or west a place is located.
In Grade 5 social studies, the Prime Meridian gives every place on Earth a clear reference for measuring east-west position.