Laptop wrap: Spherical geometry

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Calculate distances

Calculating distances on the Earth

We can calculate distances between points on the Earth’s surface when they have similar latitude or longitude.

Open the spreadsheet on Approximating distance between two points on the Earths’ surface (.xlsx 14kB) and follow the instructions carefully. This formula will be helpful for calculating the distances:

=2*PI()*6400*(angular difference/360)

Use Google Earth to locate the cities listed in the spreadsheet and improve your geographic knowledge.

World globe showing latitude and longitude grid.

Screen capture © Google Earth

If you were to dig a hole in your backyard through the Earth, would you come out in China? We will address this common misconception by finding the furthest place on the planet from you.

  • Use Google Earth to locate your current position.

  • Record your latitude and longitude coordinates.

  • Use your knowledge of latitude and longitude to calculate the furthest distance from your current position.

  • Enter your results using the format:
    12 23 N 45 67 W

  • You will now fly to your destination.

  • Record your flight using Adobe Captivate.

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