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).
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).