What is the circumference of latitude \(\theta\) degrees south if R is the radius of the earth?
Explanation
To find the circumference of a latitude \(\theta\) degrees south on Earth, you can use the following formula:
1. Understanding Latitude Circles:
At latitude \(\theta\) degrees south, the Earth's surface forms a circle with a radius that is smaller than the Earth's radius \(R\). The radius of this circle is \(R \cos \theta\), where \(R\) is the radius of the Earth.
2. Calculate the Circumference:
The circumference \(C\) of a circle is given by:
\[
C = 2 \pi \times \text{radius}
\]
For the latitude circle:
\[
\text{radius} = R \cos \theta
\]
Therefore, the circumference \(C\) is:
\[
C = 2 \pi \times R \cos \theta
\]
So, the correct answer is:
B. \(2 \pi R \cos \theta\)