BEARINGS
NOTES
Please see the video of the bearing that will assist you along with your notes
Video
Bearings Part 1 Bearings Part 2
A bearing is an angle, measured from the North, between two points.
Bearings are widely used in Navigation (ships, aircraft, walkers, etc.)
Bearings are always given as 3 figures.
To give the bearing from point A to point B
Imagine standing at A facing North.
Turn clockwise until you are facing B.
The angle that you have turned is the bearing.
Example
Look at the diagram below:
If you walk from O in the direction shown by the red arrow, you are walking on a bearing of 110 °.
REMEMBER: Bearings are always measured clockwise from North and are given as 3 digits.
Here are some more examples:
Example 1
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BEARINGS
NOTES
The bearing of B from A is 045°.
Since the North lines are parallel, the two acute angles are the same.
Using the fact that angles on a straight line add up to 180°, the bearing of A from B is
45° + 180° = 225°
Example 2
A ship at sea (S) sees two ports (A and B).
The bearing of B from S = 040°
The bearing of S from B = 220°
The bearing of A from S = 330°
The bearing of S from A = 150°
BEARINGS AND SCALE DRAWINGS
● Show examples of scale drawings and explain how they represent real-life objects at a
reduced or enlarged scale.
● Introduce the concept of bearings, explaining how they represent direction using angles
measured clockwise from the north direction
Scale drawings are beneficial for finding angles and lengths.
Example 3
A ship leaves the harbour on a bearing of 030°. She sails for 20 km and then turns due East.
She sails for 30 km.
What is the bearing of the shortest route back to the harbour and what distance will she have to sail?
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BEARINGS
NOTES
Solution
BEARINGS AND RIGHT-ANGLED TRIANGLES
To solve problems involving bearings you might need to use
● Pythagoras’ Theorem and
● Sine, Cosine and Tangent (SOHCAHTOA)
Example 4
A helicopter leaves the airport and travels due East for 30 km then due North for 40 km. The pilot
then returns to the airport by the most direct route.
What is the bearing and the distance of the most direct route?
Solution
To find
θ
30
tan θ = 40
= 0.75
θ = tan-1 (0.75)
= 37°
Bearing = 180° + 37° = 217°
To find d
d2 = 302 + 402
= 900 + 1600
= 2500
d = 2500
= 50 km
The pilot will fly on a bearing of 217° for 50 km to return to the airport.
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BEARINGS
NOTES
BEARING AND NON-RIGHT-ANGLED TRIGONOMETRY
● You may have to use the Sine and Cosine Rules to solve practical problems.
● A diagram helps.
Example 5
At 1500 hrs, three ships A, B and C are in the positions shown in this diagram. Ship B is northeast of
ship C. Find the bearing of A from B.
Solution
To find B, use the cosine rule
2 2 2
𝑐 +𝑎 −𝑏
cos B = 2𝑎𝑐
2 2 2
14 + 21 − 11
cos B = 2× 14 × 11
196 + 441 − 121
cos B = 588
516
= 588
= 0.8776
B = cos-1 (0.8776)
= 29°
Bearing of A from B = 45° + 180° + 29° = 254°
Example 6
A boat steaming due North is 2 km away in a direction of 070°.
5 minutes later the bearing of the boat is 040°. Find the speed of the boat.
Solution
To find d, use the Sine Rule.
𝑑 2
𝑠𝑖𝑛 30°
= 𝑠𝑖𝑛 40°
2
d = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 40°
× sin 30°
= 1.56 km
To find the speed,
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒
speed = 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
1.56
=
( ) 5
60
= 18. 72 km/h
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