Basic Surface Geometry
Below is a brief summary of how locations are commonly expressed on different surfaces.
- Plane Surface (flat)—Two numerical coordinates (x and y) for locating objects in a plane
- Space (3 dimensions)—Three numerical coordinates (x, y, and z) for locating objects in space
- Earth’s surface (curved surface)—Use latitude and longitude
- Latitude (North or South of the equator)—expressed in degrees
- Longitude (East or West of the prime meridian)—expressed in degrees
- Additionally, airplanes use latitude, longitude, and altitude
