Chapter 4.1, Problem 69E

Solution

To identify: The distance between Minneapolis and New Orleans them in nautical miles. assume that the two cities have the same longitude.

The distance between Minneapolis and New Orleans 903 nautical miles.

Given information

The table is:

  

Explanation:

Consider the given information from the table, longitude position of Minneapolis is $44°59\text{'}$ and longitude position of New Orleans is $29°57\text{'}$ .

Hence the difference in longitude between the cities Minneapolis and New Orleans is

  $44°\text{ 59'}-29°57\text{'}$ .

Subtract the degrees from degrees and minutes from minutes with the subtraction of minutes first to obtain: $44°\text{ 59'}-29°57\text{'}=15°02\text{'}$ .

Thus, the difference in longitude between the cities Minneapolis and New Orleans is $15°02\text{'}$ .

Since $1°=60\text{'}$ is 60 minutes so $15°02\text{'}=903$ minutes of arc. Since 1 minute of arc of earth’s circumference is 1 nautical mile, so 903 minutes of arc is 903 nautical miles.