# Interesting facts (a riddle) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 3, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440 "2003-02-03T04:45:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/1 "2003-02-03T04:45:12Z")
I was just googling something, and found some interesting facts. I wondered how many would be able to guess these (_without_ googling the answer!)… My friend Paul lives in the most northerly state in the USA. My friend John lives in the most easterly state in the USA. My friend Sarah lives in the most westerly state in the USA. Can someone tell me, for each of my friends, what state they live in? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/2 "2003-02-03T04:49:46Z")
Alaska–although the “Eastern” bit is arguable, since we could declare the International Dateline the border of East and West instead of 180° Longitude. BUt to avoid hassles, we’ll use the longitude rather than the Dateline. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/3 "2003-02-03T04:50:03Z")
Paul lives in Alaska John lives in Maine Sarah lives in Hawaii ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/4 "2003-02-03T04:55:21Z")
My vote is with QED ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/5 "2003-02-03T04:57:31Z")
**tom** : So… if we use the Dateline as the border then it wouldn’t be the most Easterly? Would it be Hawaii? ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/6 "2003-02-03T05:07:49Z")
:smack: I meant westerly, of course. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/7 "2003-02-03T05:10:52Z")
If the Dateline is the East-West border, then Maine becomes the Easternmost state. Hawaii is out _farther west_ (in miles) into the Pacific, but, because Alaska is up where all the longitude bunches together, it is clearly the _most western_ state. Nihau, HI is just East of 160° 30’ **W** longitude. (Even Midway Island is only at around 177° **W**.) Attu, AK extends out to around 173° **E** longitude. ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/8 "2003-02-03T05:13:45Z")
Yeah, I can actually understand that now. The further north you are closer the longitudes are bunched. It’s quite a strange concept to get your head round… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-facts-a-riddle/152440/9 "2003-02-03T05:23:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tomndebb \* > \*\*If the Dateline is the East-West border, then Maine becomes the Easternmost state. Hawaii is out _farther west_ (in miles) into the Pacific, but, because Alaska is up where all the longitude bunches together, it is clearly the _most western_ state. > > Nihau, HI is just East of 160° 30’ **W** longitude. (Even Midway Island is only at around 177° **W**.) > Attu, AK extends out to around 173° **E** longitude. \*\* By those longitudes Alaska is the most easterly because Attu is, as you point out, in the eastern hemisphere.