Final answer:
Lines of latitude, or parallels, run in an east-west direction around the Earth and do not run north-south. Parallels below the equator are still running in an east-west direction and are referred to as south latitude.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the direction in which the parallels, or lines of latitude, run below the equator. Parallels are circles on the Earth's surface parallel to the equator and are used to measure latitude. Parallels do not run in any longitudinal direction, such as north, south, east, or west—instead, they run east-west around the planet. So, the answer to the question 'Below the equator, the parallels are which direction?' is neither A. North, B. South, C. East, or D. West. Instead, parallels are always running in an east-west direction no matter if they are below or above the equator. Lines of latitude are distinct from lines of longitude, which run from the North Pole to the South Pole and are used to measure longitude.