Introduction

First, think about this question. How would you describe where you are located on the earth? If you were going to describe the place where you were sitting right now, how would you describe its location? Would you tell someone the name of your school? What if they lived in another part of Maryland, and had never heard of this school? Well, then maybe you would tell them the name of your city or town. What if they lived in another state and had never heard of your city or town? Well, then you might want to show them where your school or house was located on a map. How would you make it easier for someone to find you on a Maryland map?

Now, think about a second question. How would you describe how to get to another place - like maybe your best friend's house. Would you look at road signs? Would you watch for familiar houses? Do you remember any particular landmarks along the way, such as a large tree, or a curve in the road, a hill, or a park? Take a moment to think about how you would know you were going in the right direction.

The answers to these questions are called absolute and relative location. Your absolute location is the spot on the earth that you are standing (or sitting or sailing) on. It is expressed as a set of coordinates. These coordinates are latitude and longitude. Your relative location describes where you are located in relation to something else. Relative location will help you answer the question "how would I get to someplace else?" Relative location can be expressed in terms of cardinal directions - for example, you might tell your friend that he or she has to travel two blocks west to get to your house, or that your house is four blocks north of the movie theaters.

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