Final answer:
The Prime Meridian and International Date Line split the globe into Eastern and Western halves. The Prime Meridian is at 0 degrees longitude and runs through Greenwich, London, while the International Date Line is approximately at 180 degrees longitude and adjusts day transitions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Prime Meridian and International Date Line split the globe into the Eastern and Western halves. The Prime Meridian is located at 0 degrees longitude and runs through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. It divides the Earth into the Eastern Hemisphere, which includes continents like Europe, Asia, and Australia, and the Western Hemisphere, which comprises North and South America. Lines east of the Prime Meridian are marked as east (E), ranging from 1 to 180 degrees, while lines west are marked as west (W), also from 1 to 180 degrees.
The International Date Line is approximately on the opposite side of the globe from the Prime Meridian, near the 180 degrees longitude line. This line serves as the transition point for calendar days, where crossing the line from west to east, you subtract a day, and from east to west, you add a day. The International Date Line is not a straight line; it deviates to avoid dividing nations and islands and to accommodate international agreements.