Name: Charles
Status: Other
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: N/A
Question:
How can I calculate the circumference of the Earth at
>different latitudes? Example: What would the distance around the Earth be
at 30 degrees latitude?
Thanks, Charles
Replies:
Charles, simple geometry. The radius from a vertical from pole to pole,
to the outside of the earth at the desired latitude is what you need to
figure it out. This radius is the full Earth radius times the cosine
of the latitude angle. Then, the circumference at that latitude is
2 times pi times that latitude radius.
NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.
