Definition check: latitude of a place is defined as which angular distance on the Earth, measured in the proper geometric sense?

Introduction / Context:
Clear definitions matter in geodesy and cartography. Latitude and longitude are angular coordinates on Earth used to specify positions relative to the equator and the Greenwich meridian, respectively. Misstatements can cause conceptual errors in fieldwork and computations.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Assume a reference ellipsoid approximating Earth.
• Latitude is measured along a meridian (a great ellipse on the ellipsoid) from the equator.

Concept / Approach:
Latitude (φ) is the angle between the equatorial plane and the normal to the ellipsoid at the point (geodetic latitude). For simplified spherical definitions used in elementary surveying, it is the angular distance of the place north or south from the equator, measured along the meridian passing through that place, up to the nearer pole direction.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Eliminate longitude-related option: “from Greenwich to the place” defines longitude, not latitude.Recognize that latitude must be tied to the local meridian (the north–south great circle through the place).Thus, the correct detailed wording is: from the equator to the nearer pole along the meridian of the place.

Verification / Alternative check:
Any atlas or geodesy text defines latitude as an angular distance from the equator along a meridian; longitude is measured east or west from Greenwich.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Equator to the poles” is incomplete and not localized; “equator to the nearer pole” is still incomplete without “along the meridian.”

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing geocentric with geodetic latitude; ignoring that measurement follows the meridian through the point.

Final Answer:
From the equator to the nearer pole along the meridian of the place