Navigation and Seamanship

1.4.6. Latitude

Latitude ( abbreviated as Lat.; symbol L) :

The latitude of a position is defined as the angular distance measured from the equator north ward or south ward through 90^o . The direction of measurement is indicated by placing a suffix N (north) or S (south) after the angular measure. The equator is the 0^o latitude and the poles 90^o .

Longitude (abbreviated as Long.; symbol Lo)

The longitude of a position is the angular distance measured from the prime meridian east ward (or) west ward trough 180^o . The direction of measurement is indicated by placing a suffix E (east) or W (west) after the angular measure.

The longitude of any point on earth may be defined as the angular distance between the meridian of Greenwich and the meridian passing through the point. It is measured in degrees of arc, from 0^o to 180^o east (east longitude) or west (west longitude) from the prime meridian (Greenwich). Latitude and longitude are measured in degrees, minutes and seconds or in degrees, minutes and decimal fraction of a minute.