Question

FIU is located roughly at 25° 45′ 9″ N, 80° 22′ 40″ W. How many nautical miles is FIU from the equator?

Answer 1

Answer on Question#38506 – Physics - Other

FIU is located roughly at 25° 45' 9" N, 80° 22' 40" W. How many nautical miles is FIU from the equator?

Solution:

R = 6300km – radius of Earth;

On the sphere the normal passes through the centre and the latitude $(\varphi)$ is therefore equal to the angle subtended at the centre by the meridian arc from the equator to the point concerned. If the meridian distance is denoted by $m(\varphi)$ then the distance from equator to FIU (equation for the length of the sector; $\alpha$ – angle in radians):

$$D = \alpha R = \pi \cdot \frac{\varphi}{180{}^\circ} \cdot R = \pi \cdot \frac{25{}^\circ 45' 9''}{180{}^\circ} \cdot 6300 \text{ km} = 2832 \text{ km} = 1530 \text{ nmi}$$

Answer: the distance from equator to the FIU is equal to 1530 nmi.