Saint Petersburg, Russia and Anchorage, Alaska, both have approximately the same latitude of 60 degrees. That means you can reach Saint Petersburg from Anchorage by flying directly east, or directly west. Assume the earth is a sphere of radius 6371 km. (a) By heading directly east, what is the distance from Anchorage (longitude 150 degrees W) to Saint Petersburg (longitude 30 degrees E) ?

Question

Michelle Hooper

Mathematics

4 June, 10:23

Saint Petersburg, Russia and Anchorage, Alaska, both have approximately the same latitude of 60 degrees. That means you can reach Saint Petersburg from Anchorage by flying directly east, or directly west. Assume the earth is a sphere of radius 6371 km. (a) By heading directly east, what is the distance from Anchorage (longitude 150 degrees W) to Saint Petersburg (longitude 30 degrees E) ?

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Adrienne Wilkinson · Answer 1

Distance from Anchorage (longitude 150 degrees W) to Saint Petersburg (longitude 30 degrees E) = 10,002.47 KM

Step-by-step explanation:

As earth is a sphere of radius 6371 km.

Therefore at 60 degree latitude, the radius of circle can be calculated as shown below:

= 6371 * Cos 60

= 3185.5 KM

Saint Petersburg is nearly 180 degree about Anchorage by flying directly east.

So Distance from Anchorage (longitude 150 degrees W) to Saint Petersburg (longitude 30 degrees E) can be calculated as shown below:

= (180 * 2 * 3.1416 * 3185.5) / 360

= 10,002.47 KM