Final answer:
All longitude lines are labeled "West" in New York State because New York is west of the Prime Meridian, which is at 0 degrees longitude and runs through Greenwich, England. Longitudes in New York are measured west of the Greenwich Meridian, reflecting their geographic position in the Western Hemisphere.
Step-by-step explanation:
All longitude lines are labeled "West" in New York State because New York is located in the Western Hemisphere, west of the Prime Meridian. The Prime Meridian is defined as the line of 0 degrees longitude, and it divides the Earth into the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. The Greenwich Meridian, which is the line of 0 degrees longitude, passes through the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. This global reference line was chosen for historical reasons and practicality, as it was a significant location for the development of longitude measurement at sea. Consequently, all longitudes in New York State are measured relative to the Greenwich Meridian, thus being west of it, and labeled with a W for west.
Importance of the Greenwich Meridian
The Greenwich Meridian was selected because of its geographical positioning between the United States and continental Europe, and because of Greenwich's key role in developing the method to measure longitude at sea. Longitude lines are essential for determining the local time and facilitating international navigation and communication.
Each location on Earth is measured in degrees of longitude east or west from the Greenwich Meridian up to 180°. For example, the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, DC, has a longitude of 77.066° W, indicating it is 77.066 degrees west of the Greenwich Meridian. This system helps in organizing global time zones and assists with the navigational systems that we rely on for travel.