US geography

[Stu in USA]

Here's a couple of US geography pub quiz questions that caused some debate. See what ABers think? 1.Where is the most Eastern point in USA? 2.How many US states border Canada?

[annavc]

Ok - these are off the top of my head but here goes:

1. Most easterly point is in Alaska (I think its also has the most northerly and the most westerly)

2. States bordering Canada: Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, Pensylvannia, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. So 13 in total.

[annavc]

Now someone needs to tell me if I'm right or not!

[don1]

The most eastern spot in the USA is clearly in Maine but I have seen this question before and it being in what was the soviet union doesn't work for me

[Stu in USA]

The main points of debate were: If Pennslvania and Ohio are border states, ie they border a lake, which borders Canada, then surely that would include Wisconsin, which borders Lake Superior. As to the whole Maine/Alaska debate, my argument about whether the Aleutian islands should considered as Eastern would be this? What is the most Eastern and Western point of England? The answer would have to be, "either side of the Greenwich Meridian". If you follow my logic I would choose the International Date line as the cut off between East and West, so that all of Russia is East and all of Alaska is West. Unfortunately the Quiz master did not agree, but I doubt he'll ask those questions again!!!

[Stu in USA]

Having read my answer again, it doesn't change the fact that the most eastern and western points of England are either side of Greenwich Meridian. Does anyone agree or care?

[jake-the-peg]

OK I'll bite

Reading is more westerly than London.

Dover is more Easterly than London

Therefore either side of the dite line is the "least" easterly and westerly points in the UK

[denisegordon]

How can Alaska be most easterly and most westerly points? I've seen that on AB before and didn't understand. Don't you have to apply different rules to make that work? It's easy to see that it is the most western part of USA, but if it is most eastern because of its relationship to Greenwich, that's applying different rules.

[Stu in USA]

The argument for Alaska being most eastern is that it crosses the line that is 180 degrees from Greenwich, therefore passing into the Eastern hemisphere. Hope that clears it up denise?

[Stu in USA]

Having just looked at a globe, I see jake's point about either side of Greenwich being the "least" easterly and westerly. Anyone else agree that Wisconsin borders Canada?

[Hammond Egg]

I don't. Have a look at this encarta map:

http://encarta.msn.com/map_701514001/Superior_Lake.html

which appears to show Wisconsin territorial waters not bordering Canada.

[Stu in USA]

Thanks Hammond, looks like Wisconsin does not border Canada and I was wrong!!!!!

[Drusilla]

Well, I've had a look at this time zone map and I made it 15 states, but I included those that border lakes.

http://nist.time.gov/

As for the most eastern point, I'm very confused having read all the answers, but at least it explains why I always drive round in circles when I'm map reading.

[mightyWBA]

Join the "Flat Earth society"!

All these East/West problems would be solved.

The question should have asked how many states share a land border with Canada.

[Stu in USA]

Drusilla I think you may have counted Michigan twice!!! As to Mighty WBA good suggestion, the only problem with that, do you also include river borders.

[gary baldy]

Do you have pub quizzes in the US of A?

[Stu in USA]

Oh yes gary, they are very popular, especially in Brit/Irish themed pubs. Not as widespread or usually as good as back home. They also have electronic quizzes, which I hate cos you can't argue with them!!!