What Are GPS Coordinates? (Explained Like You're 10)
Imagine the Earth is a giant graph paper. GPS coordinates are just the two numbers that tell you exactly which "square" you are standing in. No complicated math required.
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The Absolute Basics
Latitude is how far North or South you are. Think of climbing a ladder.
Longitude is how far East or West you are. Think of walking left or right along the floor.
Why Do We Need Them?
Addresses like "123 Main Street" only work if there are streets and houses. What if you are in the middle of a forest, out on a boat, or trying to find a specific tree in a huge park? That is where GPS coordinates come in. They give every single inch of the planet its own unique "address".
If you have coordinates and want to see where they are, use our free tool below:
Show My Coordinates on a MapWhat Do They Look Like?
You have probably seen them looking something like this: 35.6812, 139.7671. The first number is Latitude, the second is Longitude. This exact pair of numbers points to Tokyo Station in Japan.