The longitude of Palatine, Illinois and surrounding areas is roughly
88 degrees west. How many degrees east or west of the time zones?s
standard meridian?

There are 24 hours in a day and therefore 24 time zones around the
world.  Since there are 360 degrees in a circle, that means that each
time zone is 360/24 = 15 degrees wide.  The system of longitude is
centered on the Royal Observatory in Greenwich England as being zero
degrees longitude by definition.  It is called the Greenwich Meridian
or Prime Meridian.  Time and place around the world are defined in
relation to this meridian.  Longitude goes both east and west from
this point from zero degrees to 180 degrees (the international date
line).

Moving west by time zones, you would have the center of each time zone
15 degrees west of the previous one.  Successive time zones would be
centered on:

0 degrees
15 degrees west - one hour behind
30 degrees west - two hours behind
45 degrees west - three hours behind
60 degrees west - four hours behind
75 degrees west - five hours behind
90 degrees west - six hours behind
105 degrees west - seven hours behind
120 degrees west - eight hours behind
135 degrees west - nine hours behind
150 degrees west - ten hours behind
165 degrees west - eleven hours behind
180 degrees west - twelve hours behind - the international date line

So Palatine, Illinois is 88 degrees west of the Prime Meridian and six
hours behind (ignoring day light savings time).  It is also two
degrees east of the standard meridian for central time (90 degrees
west), before politics moves the boundaries around.

Of course, each country moves the boundaries for time zones around to
its choosing and the United States is on exception.  But absent
politics, the table above is where the various time zones would be
centered going west.

I meant to say:

Of course, each country moves the boundaries for time zones around to
its choosing and the United States is no exception.

Thank you...that makes sense now.