What measurement is used to determine latitude?

Latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is measured in degrees, which are defined as angular divisions of the Earth’s surface relative to the equator. The equator is designated as 0 degrees latitude, with values increasing to 90 degrees north as you move toward the North Pole and decreasing to 90 degrees south as you approach the South Pole. This angular measurement allows navigators and geographers to pinpoint locations accurately based on their distance from the equator, which serves as the fundamental baseline for latitude.

The other options do not provide a basis for measuring latitude. Nautical miles are a unit of distance used in maritime and air navigation but do not indicate positional measurements like latitude. Minutes of longitude pertain to measuring east-west positions, not latitude. Hours of daylight relate to the amount of sunlight a location receives and are not used to determine latitude or any specific geographic coordinates. Understanding these distinctions reinforces the unique role that degrees north and south of the equator play in determining latitude.