TEACHING GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES USING THE CARTESIAN PLANE AND ANGLES: LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE TO LOCATE POINTS ON EARTH

Abstract

This study analyzed the teaching of geographic coordinates based on the use of the Cartesian plane and the concepts of latitude and longitude, as well as their contributions to the understanding of point location on Earth among secondary school students in the city of Uíge, Angola. The research is grounded in the need to strengthen the connection between Mathematics and Geography, fostering contextualized and meaningful learning regarding spatial location. Methodologically, it adopts a qualitative approach—exploratory and descriptive in nature—conducted through a case study. The participants were secondary school students, and data collection instruments included observation sheets, diagnostic questionnaires, practical activities, field journals, and an analysis of student work. Data were analyzed using content analysis, complemented by simple descriptive statistics. The results demonstrated that using the Cartesian plane as a teaching strategy facilitated the understanding of concepts such as latitude, longitude, parallels, and meridians, enabling students to link mathematical knowledge with cartographic representation and the location of points on the Earth's surface. The study concludes that integrating Mathematics and Geography constitutes a relevant pedagogical strategy for teaching geographic coordinates, contributing to more meaningful and contextualized learning.