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Difficulty: Very hardLocation, Position, Size, and Boundaries of Nigeria

An aircraft departs from a research station situated at Nigeria's easternmost longitudinal boundary at 14:00 local solar time and flies directly westward along a constant line of latitude to reach an airstrip at the country's westernmost longitudinal border. Assuming a constant flight duration of 2 hours and 30 minutes, what is the local solar time at the western border upon arrival?

  1. 15:42Answer
  2. B
    17:18
  3. C
    15:50
  4. D
    16:30

Answer

15:42 (or 3:42 PM local solar time)
Nigeria lies between longitudes 3∘E3^\circ\text{E} and 15∘E15^\circ\text{E}, giving a total longitudinal extent of 12∘12^\circ. Since 1∘1^\circ of longitude is equivalent to 44 minutes of time, the time difference across Nigeria's east-west extent is 4848 minutes. At takeoff (14:0014:00 at 15∘E15^\circ\text{E}), the solar time at the western limit (3∘E3^\circ\text{E}) is 4848 minutes earlier (13:1213:12). Adding the flight time of 22 hours 3030 minutes to 13:1213:12 gives the arrival solar time of 15:4215:42.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the longitudinal boundaries of Nigeria and calculate the longitudinal extent.
Nigeria extends from longitude 3∘E3^\circ\text{E} (western limit) to 15∘E15^\circ\text{E} (eastern limit). Longitudinal extent = 15∘E−3∘E=12∘15^\circ\text{E} - 3^\circ\text{E} = 12^\circ.
Solar time difference across geographic space depends strictly on longitudinal distance.
2
Convert the longitudinal extent into a time difference.
12∘×4 minutes per degree=48 minutes12^\circ \times 4\text{ minutes per degree} = 48\text{ minutes}.
Earth rotates 360∘360^\circ in 2424 hours, which equals 1∘1^\circ every 44 minutes.
3
Determine the local solar time at the destination (western boundary) at the moment of departure.
Because the destination is 12∘12^\circ west of the origin, time is behind by 4848 minutes: 14:00−48 minutes=13:1214:00 - 48\text{ minutes} = 13:12.
Locations further west experience solar noon and subsequent solar hours later than locations to their east.
4
Add the flight duration to the departure time at the destination.
13:12+2 hours 30 minutes=15:4213:12 + 2\text{ hours } 30\text{ minutes} = 15:42.
The total elapsed time during flight advances local time at the arrival point.

Key Concept

Longitude, spatial extent, and meridian local solar time relationship for Nigeria's boundary limits.
Estimated Time:2m 0s
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Topics

Location, Position, Size, and Boundaries of Nigeria

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