Which system provides global positioning information?

• A. Global Navigation Satellite System
• B. Global Positioning Service
• C. Global Positioning System
• D. Space-Based Positioning Array

Answer: (C)

Understanding what provides global positioning information involves distinguishing a specific system from a class of systems. The Global Positioning System is the official name of the U.S.-operated satellite constellation that delivers geolocation and precise time anywhere on Earth. It works by satellites broadcasting signals that a receiver uses to compute distances to at least four satellites, solving for latitude, longitude, altitude, and time. Global Navigation Satellite System is the general term for the family of satellite navigation systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou, etc.), suitable when discussing multiple systems, but not a single system itself. The term Global Positioning Service is not the official designation, though it’s sometimes heard, and Space-Based Positioning Array is not a recognized system. So, the system that provides global positioning information is the Global Positioning System.