In the geographic coordinate system, positions are reported which way first?

• A. East or West of the Prime Meridian
• B. North or South of the Equator
• C. Altitude above sea level
• D. Grid reference codes

Answer: (B)

In the geographic coordinate system, positions are reported with the latitude value first, which indicates whether a location is North or South of the Equator. Latitude is the measurement of how far a place is from the Equator, which is designated as 0 degrees. This is essential because the Equator serves as the baseline for measuring distances north or south.

After latitude, the location is specified by the longitude value, which indicates the position East or West of the Prime Meridian. Longitude measures how far a location lies from this prime reference line, which is also critical for pinpointing exact global positions. However, the standard convention is to provide latitude before longitude, which is why the answer focusing on North or South is correct.

Altitude above sea level and grid reference codes provide additional context for location but are not the primary means of reporting geographic coordinates in standard practice.