Question

The shading and isotherms indicate that the warmest waters across the tropical Pacific are located near ________ longitude. [Note, the Pacific east of 180° longitude (generally the International Dateline) has W(est) numbered longitudes while the Pacific west of 180° has E(ast) numbers measured west and east, respectively, from the Prime Meridian.]

a) 90°W
b) 120°E
c) 150°W
d) 180°E

Answer 1

Option B: The warmest waters across the tropical Pacific are indicated by shading and isotherms to be near 120°E longitude, closer to Asia in the Western Pacific.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student has asked about the location of the warmest waters across the tropical Pacific in terms of longitude. To locate these waters, we refer to isotherms and shading which are graphical representations of temperature distribution across a map, with isotherms indicating lines of equal temperature. The question mentions that positions to the west of the International Date Line, near 180°, are noted with East (E) longitude numbers, while positions to the east of this line are noted with West (W) longitude numbers.

Considering that the Pacific extends across the Eastern and Western Hemispheres, the available options for the warmest waters are given in both W and E longitudinal coordinates. If the isotherms indicate that the warmest waters are located near a certain longitude, we must select the correct option from a), b), c), or d). Given that the warmest waters in tropical regions are typically found in the western Pacific, which is closer to Asia than to America, 120°E longitude would be the most likely location for these warm waters.