Final answer:
The Equator is defined as 0 degrees latitude, the North Pole as 90° N, and the South Pole as 90° S, with lines of latitude ranging from 0° to 90° either north or south of the Equator.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Equator is defined as 0 degrees latitude, the North Pole as 90° N, and the South Pole as 90° S. These designations are based on the system of geographic coordinates used to specify locations on the Earth's surface. Parallels, or lines of latitude, are imagined horizontal lines encircling the globe parallel to the equator, and their degree measures range from 0° at the equator to 90° at the poles.
Lines of latitude north of the Equator are designated with an N to indicate 'north' and those south of the Equator with an S for 'south'. Noted parallels include the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, which are located 23.5 degrees north and south of the equator respectively. The Arctic and Antarctic Circles are positioned at 66.5 degrees away from the equator, near the poles.