What is the total number of meridians of longitude on the globe?

The correct option is

360

Explanation

Meridians of longitude are imaginary semi-circular lines running from the North Pole to the South Pole. They are used to measure the angular distance east or west of the Prime Meridian.

Detailed Analysis:

• The Earth is a sphere, encompassing a total of 360 degrees.
• Longitudes are measured from 0° to 180° East and 0° to 180° West.
• The Prime Meridian represents 0°.
• The International Date Line roughly corresponds to 180°. The 180° East and 180° West meridians coincide to form a single line.
• Therefore, the total number of meridians drawn at 1-degree intervals is 360 (180 towards the East and 180 towards the West).

While geometrically an infinite number of meridians can be drawn through any point on the equator, in the context of standard geographical coordinates and degree-based classification, the accepted count is 360.

Key Takeaway:

There are 360 meridians of longitude (corresponding to 360 degrees in a circle) and 181 parallels of latitude (including the Equator and the two poles as points).