Springer Mt is at 34 37N -84 11 W
Katahdin is at 45 54N -68 55 W
The total distance of the AT is 3456km +/-loose change
The distance of a degree of latitude is constant at 111.11km
The n-s span of the AT is 11.283 degrees or 1254km
Therefore the AT should be more accurately described as going from west to east rather than north to south. 
straydoc
The linear distance contained in a degree of longitude and in a degree of latitude are not the same. Your north-south measurement is straight line, while your AT trail length figure is not. Spurious conclusion. Possibly beer-induced?
Link: http://www.nga.mil/portal/site/maritime/?epi_menuItemID=eb404b8cc4b240c21b2079106327a759&epi_menuID=0feacf38cf96a8b21b2079106327a759&epi_baseMenuID=e106a3b5e50edce1fec24fd73927a759
zapruder
distance in a degree of latitude cannot possibly be costant because the radius of the earth’s surface varies, latitudinaly speaking. The earth is shaped like a somewhat flattened sphere.
Longitudinal degree distance is constant only if the latitude is kept constant.
dirtnap
A degree of Latitude is 2000 yards or 1 nautical mile. It remains constant from the Equator to the North or South Pole. ( I guess it depends on whether your a NOBO or a SOBO) A degree of Longitude is also 1 mile at the equator and decreases as you move north or south until they converge at the poles.
JollyMon
Never measure degrees, minutes or seconds off the top or bottom of a nautical chart. Only the sides. Latitude(horizontal) distance narrows as you go North or South. Longitude stays the same at 60 miles between degrees. One minute is one natical mile and 6 seconds is 1/10 of a mile. The only latitude thats 60 miles between degrees is oo
Virginian
Deep thinking on this thread. The AT is also 2,501.25 nautical miles or 17,400 furlongs (not including that blue blaze into Kent). It seemed longer.
Never criticize someone until you’ve walked a furlong in their shoes.
Goggles
If you move the start (Springer Mountain) to the west coast and plot the same tracing of the AT on the map can you guess where the trail end up?
Ken
Everytime I have a hiker demand that they only want to hike North or South… I have always told them that the AT is mostly EastWest in a northerly fashion! Now I have some fancy sounding numbers to use to prove my point!
Miss Janet