What does latitude measure?

Latitude measures the distance north or south of the Equator, which is designated at 0 degrees latitude. It provides a method to express a location's position relative to the Earth's equatorial line. As you move further north, the latitude increases up to 90 degrees North at the North Pole, and as you move south, it decreases down to 90 degrees South at the South Pole.

This measurement is critical for navigation, mapping, and understanding climate patterns, as different latitudes correspond to different climate zones across the globe. In contrast, the remaining options relate to measurements of direction or height that do not define the concept of latitude. Longitude, for instance, measures the distance east or west of the Prime Meridian, while altitude refers to height above sea level, and directionality in the east-west context does not pertain to latitude.