How do GPS systems pinpoint your exact location?

GPS systems use signals from satellites to figure out where you are on Earth.

Imagine you're playing hide and seek, and each time someone calls out, they tell you how far away you are from them. If four friends call out at the same time, telling you how far you are from each of them, you could guess exactly where you’re hiding!

That’s basically what GPS does. Satellites in space send signals down to your phone or car. Your device gets those signals and uses the time it took for each signal to reach it, like counting seconds between when a friend calls out and when you hear them, to figure out how far away each satellite is.

Now, if four satellites tell your device how far they are from you at the same time, your device can calculate where you must be. It’s like solving a puzzle with clues from different directions!

Your device compares the time it took for each signal to arrive, and since signals travel really fast (like 186,000 miles per second!), even a tiny difference in time means a big difference in distance.

By doing this with four satellites, your device can find exactly where you are on Earth, like knowing your hiding spot from four different clues!