Consider the following statements:

1. Prime Meridian passes through Greenwich and is at 0° Longitude.

2. International Date Line, on the map appears as a straight line along 180° Longitude.

3. While crossing International Date Line from east to west, one gains a day.

4. Tropic of Cancer lies at 232° Latitude S.

Which of these statements are correct?

Solution

Prime Meridian is a meridian (a line of longitude) in a geographic coordinate system at which longitude is defined to be 0°. It is derived, but differs slightly, from the Greenwich Meridian, the previous standard. Hence, statement 1 is correct. International Date Line (IDL) is an internationally accepted demarcation on the surface of Earth, running between the South Pole and North Pole and serving as the boundary between one calendar day and the next. It passes through the Pacific Ocean, roughly following the 180° line of longitude and deviating to pass around some territories and island groups. It is not a straight line. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect. While crossing International Date Line from east to west, one gains a day. While crossing it towards the east one loses a day. Hence, statement 3 is correct. Tropic of Cancer lies at 23° Latitude N. Hence, statement 4 is correct.