How to Record Latitude and Longitude

Latitude and longitude are points on the globe that help us find a specific place. When writing latitude and longitude, you want to make sure you format it correctly and use the correct notation that others understand. You can identify different latitude and longitude points on the map and record them. You can record latitude and longitude using latitude and longitude lines. For more specific latitude and longitude points, coordinates can be written in degrees, minutes, seconds, and decimals.

Table of Contents

Record basic latitude and longitude

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Determine the meridian. Longitudes are vertical lines that run across the globe from the North Pole to the South Pole. The prime meridian divides the meridians into two halves. It is the zero degree meridian. When writing meridians, you use the symbol “°” to indicate degrees. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Longitude lines stretch from east to west. Each line of meridian will increase by one degree as it shifts to the east. You use the letter “E” (East) to indicate the line of meridian that lies east of the Prime Meridian. For example, the meridian might be 30°E (30 degrees East longitude).
When shifting to the west, each line of meridian also increases by one degree. When writing a meridian west of the Prime Meridian, you use the symbol “W” to indicate west. For example, the meridian might be 15°W (15 degrees West longitude).

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Determine the line of latitude. Latitudes are lines that cross the globe. They stretch from north to south, starting at the equator. The equator is 0 degrees latitude. When recording latitude and longitude, you use the symbol “°” to indicate degrees. ^{[2] X Research Source}

As the equator moves upward, the lines of latitude will increase by one degree until it reaches 90 degrees. The 90 degree point is at the North Pole. The lines of latitude above the equator are denoted by the letter “N” which means North. For example, the line of latitude might be 15°N (15 degrees North latitude).
As you move below the equator, the distance between each line of latitude also increases by one degree until a point of 90 degrees is reached. That’s Antarctica. You use the symbol “S” to indicate south. For example, the line of latitude might be 30°S (30 degrees South latitude).

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Write coordinates. Find a place and determine the intersection of longitude and latitude. For example, you can find places along latitude 15°N and longitude 30°E. When recording longitude and latitude, write the latitude first, followed by a comma, and then the longitude. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

For example, the lines of longitude and latitude above would be written as “15°N, 30°E” (15 degrees North, 30 degrees East).

Use degrees, minutes and seconds

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Determine latitude and longitude. Sometimes you need to give a more precise location than general latitude and longitude. They can be broken down to minutes and seconds. However, you have to decode the latitude and longitude lines. See what latitude and longitude the location is on. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

For example, suppose the location to be searched is located on latitude 15°N and longitude 30°E.

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Find the number of minutes in between each line of latitude and longitude. The distance between these lines is divided into one degree. Degrees are further divided into minutes. Imagine there are 60 equal minutes dividing each line of latitude and longitude. You can use online maps to determine the exact number of minutes your location is within each line of latitude or longitude. Single quotes are used to indicate minutes between lines of latitude or longitude. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

For example, if you determined the distance between the parallels to be 23 minutes, you would write “23′”.

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Specify the number of seconds between each minute. Minutes will be further divided into seconds. Every minute has 60 seconds. The online map also helps you determine the exact number of seconds in each minute. Double quotes are used to indicate seconds. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

For example, if the distance between minutes on the meridian was 15 seconds, you would write 15″.

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Record degrees, then minutes and seconds. After finding the exact coordinates to minutes and seconds for longitude and latitude, write them down in the correct order. Start with latitude, write down the number of degrees measured, then minutes, and finally seconds. Then add North or South direction. Next, mark a comma, then degrees, minutes, seconds of longitude. Add East or West direction. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

For example, you have a latitude of 15°N, 24 minutes, and 15 seconds. You have a longitude of 30°E, 10 minutes, and 3 seconds.
The above latitude and longitude will be written as: 15°24’15″N, 30°10’3″East .

Use degrees and minutes as decimals

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Determine the coordinates of longitude and latitude. You can also use minutes as a decimal number to specify latitude and longitude. However, you have to start all over again by defining the latitude and longitude lines. Find out where the latitude and longitude lines meet to determine your location. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

For example, suppose your location is 15° North latitude, 30° West longitude.

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Specifies the number of minutes, including decimal points. Some maps count minutes followed by decimal points instead of seconds. Online maps can give you minutes in decimals for each line of latitude and longitude. For example, latitude can be specified at 23.0256 minutes. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Identify negative and positive numbers. When using decimal degrees and minutes, you don’t use directions like east, west, south, or north. Instead, you use negative and positive numbers to determine the location on the map. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Remember, the line of latitude is above or below the equator. When using decimals to indicate latitude and longitude, a positive number indicates a position above the equator, and a negative number indicates a position below the equator. The number 23,456 is above the equator, while the number -23,456 is below.
The lines of meridian lie east or west of the Prime Meridian. Positive numbers indicate location east of the Prime Meridian, and negative numbers indicate location west. For example, the number 10.234 is east of the Prime Meridian, while the number -10.234 is west of the Prime Meridian.

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Record longitude and latitude. To fully determine the location of a place, start with a line of latitude. Next are the coordinates with the number of minutes and decimal points. Add a comma and then the meridian with the minutes and decimal points. Remember to use positive and negative numbers to locate coordinates. You do not use the degree notation for this format. ^{[11] X Research Source}

For example, a line is between 15° North latitude and 30° West longitude. Specify the number of minutes and decimal points, and then write down the coordinates.
The example above could be written like this: “15 10,234, 30 -23,456”.

Use decimal degrees

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Find longitude and latitude. The number of degrees of longitude and latitude are often broken down to decimal points. Instead of minutes and seconds, the one-degree lines are divided into decimal points to pinpoint the exact location. First, you find the number of degrees of latitude and longitude. ^{[12] X Research Source}

For example, suppose your location is 15° North latitude, 30° West longitude.

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Calculate the number of decimal points. Online maps can subdivide latitude and longitude using decimal points. Usually, the decimal point is made up of five digits. ^{[13] X Research Source}

For example, your location coordinates might be 15.23456 north latitude and 30.67890 west longitude.

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Identify negative and positive numbers. Instead of using words like: east, west, south, north to indicate direction, you use negative and positive numbers. For latitudes, lines above the equator are represented by positive numbers and lines below the equator are represented by negative numbers. For meridians, the line east of the Prime Meridian has a positive sign while the line west of the Prime Meridian has a negative sign. ^{[14] X Research Source}

For example, latitude 15.23456 would be above the equator, while latitude -15.23456 would be below the equator.
Longitude 30.67890 would be east of the Prime Meridian, while longitude -30.67890 would be west.

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Record longitude and latitude containing decimal point. The use of decimal degrees is very simple. You simply write the latitude containing the decimal point, followed by the longitude containing the decimal point. Use negative and positive signs to determine direction. ^{[15] X Research Source}

For example, let’s say we have coordinates 15° North latitude, 30° West longitude. Using the decimal degree system, you can write: “15.23456, -30,67890”.

Steps

Record basic latitude and longitude

Use degrees, minutes and seconds

Use degrees and minutes as decimals

Use decimal degrees

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