Sector dimensions are expressed using what unit?

Sector dimensions are expressed using what unit?

• A. Minutes of latitude and longitude
• B. Degrees of arc
• C. Miles of distance
• D. Seconds of time

Answer: (A)

Geographic sector sizes are angular extents on the Earth’s surface. To describe how large a sector is in both directions, we use latitude and longitude, which are angular coordinates. Each degree is divided into 60 minutes of arc, and those minutes give a precise, consistent way to express the small differences that define a sector’s width and height on a map. Miles would describe linear distance, not angular size, so it doesn’t capture the sector’s size on the sphere. Seconds of time aren’t related to spatial dimensions, and while degrees of arc could describe the size, minutes of arc provide finer precision needed for defining a sector.