Question

What is the International Date Line? Describe its geographic location. Why doesn't it follow a straight line? Why do we need it?

Answer 1

Sample Response:

The International Date Line serves as a beginning and ending point for the world’s time zones. The line moves in jagged directions through the Pacific Ocean in order to keep certain island nations together. That way, a grouping of islands wouldn’t experience separate days despite being near each other! The International Date Line helps us to organize our global measurement of time.

Step-by-step explanation:

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Answer 2

Answers:

1. What is the International Date Line?

It is a superficial imaginary line drawn on the Pacific Ocean and very close to the
`180\°` meridian. It was devised by Sir Sandford Fleming in 1879 in order to maintain a uniform time system.

So, according to the location to this meridian, the date is changed in a day, as follows:

- When we go from the Western Hemisphere to the Easter Hemisphere in the
`180\°` meridian, we have to add one day.

-When we pass in the opposite direction, we have to delay one day.

2. Describe its geographic location.

The International Date Line is located in the Pacific Ocean. This area and this
`180\°` meridian was chosen because it is a region with almost depopulated areas (very few inhabitants), so it does not make it difficult to maintain any local time.

However, a part of this meridian passes through the Bering Strait between Alaska and Siberia, causing both sides of the Strait to have different dates.

3. Why doesn't it follow a straight line?

Although the international date line originates at the North Pole and extends the length of the
`180\°` meridian, it deviates from this initial length many times.

This is due to geopolitical reasons, in order to maintain a normal standard for changing dates in aviation and maritime trips at the time of crossing the line.

4. Why do we need it?

Although countries are not oblied to use the international date line as the standard on configuration dates, their purpose is mainly to avoid overlapping dates.

In addition, this line is necessary to ensure that the actual calendar and dates are coordinated and in order to have an understandable synchronization in world time.