ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

how does gps work?

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. It uses satellites that orbit around the Earth so computers on Earth can find out exactly where they are. The satellites send signals to GPS receivers, which can be inside a phone or a car. The receivers compute their location based on the signals they receive. By comparing the signals from several satellites, the receiver can calculate its exact location (latitude, longitude and altitude) and the time.