A line that intersects all successive meridians at the same constant angle is generally called a

• A. Geodesic
• B. Great circle
• C. Rhumb line
• D. Meridian line

Answer: (C)

A line that crosses every meridian at the same constant angle is a rhumb line (loxodrome). This means it maintains a fixed bearing relative to true north as you move along it, which is why navigators can steer a constant compass heading along such a path. On a Mercator map, rhumb lines appear as straight lines, making plotting and navigation straightforward. In contrast, a geodesic on a sphere (a great circle) does not preserve that constant crossing angle with meridians; the angle with meridians changes along the route except in special cases. A meridian line itself is just a single longitude, not a path that keeps crossing every meridian at a uniform angle. Hence, the described line is a rhumb line.