BEARINGS AND
DISTANCES
LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the learner should
be able to:
1.Identify the cardinal points.
2.Change acute angle bearing into three
figure bearing.
3.Change three figure bearing into acute
angle bearing.
4.Find the bearing of one point from another.
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A bearing is a way of defining direction as an
angle measured from due North in a clockwise
direction
Bearings are
N
always written in
3 digits
B
063°
What is the bearing of B from
A ? words if you are at A and facing North,
In other
by how many degrees must you turn in a
clockwise direction until you are facing B ?
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A bearing is a way of defining direction as an
angle measured from due North in a clockwise
direction
N
N
B
063°
243°
A
The bearing of B from A is 063°
The bearing of A from B is 243°
A bearing is an angle between 0° and
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The Cardinal Points
The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points,
are the four main compass directions: north, south,
east, and west, commonly denoted by their initials N,
S, E, and W respectively.
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The Cardinal Points
The four cardinal directions, or cardinal points,
are the four
main compass directions: north, south, east, and west,
commonly denoted by their initials N, S, E, and W
respectively.
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The Cardinal Points
There are other cardinal points derived from the main
cardinal points which are Northeast, Southeast,
Southwest and Northwest.
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TYPES OF BEARING
There are 2 types of bearing namely;
1.Acute Angle Bearing/ Compass Bearing/Ordinary
Bearing.
2.Three Figure Bearing/Surveyor’s Bearing/ True
Bearing is read clockwise from the north and written
Bearing.
in 3 digits called true bearing or three figure
bearing where the bearing of the north is 000o or
360o , the bearing of the east is 090o , the bearing of
the south is 180o and the bearing of the west is 270o
. It is also read clockwise or anticlockwise from the
north or south and written starting with N or S and
ending with E or W with an acute angle between. This
is called ordinary bearing.
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Example 1
What bearing does A, B, C, D represent in the figure
below both in three figure bearing and acute angle
bearing respectively?
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Example 2
1. Change the following acute angle bearing into
three figure bearing.
a.N 35o E
b.N 60o W
c.S 50o W
d.S 48o E
2. Change the following three figure bearing into
acute angle bearing.
a.010o
b.125o
c.237o
d.335o
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Example 3
What is the bearing of P from Q ?
What is the bearing of X from Y ?
060° 290°
110°
P
X
Y
120° Q
110°
What is the bearing of W from OWhat
? is the bearing of A from B ?
230° 130°
B
130° O
50°
W
A
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Class Activity
K P
68°
H 68°
Q
133°
What is the bearing of K from H What
? is the bearing of P from Q ?
What is the bearing of Z from O What
? is the bearing of A from B ?
B
137° O
48°
48°
Z
A
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Activity
1. Change the following acute angle bearing into
three figure bearing.
a.N 75o E
b.N 5o W
c.S 30o W
d.S 15o E
2. Change the following three figure bearing into
acute angle bearing.
a.067o
b.179o
c.265o
d.310o
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ASSIGNMENT
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What is the bearing of X from Y ?
What is the bearing of P from Q ?
110°
P
X
Y
120° Q
110°
What is the bearing of W from OWhat
? is the bearing of A from B ?
B
130° O
50°
W
A
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What is the bearing of K from H What
? is the bearing of P from Q ?
P
K 68°
H 68°
Q
133°
What is the bearing of Z from O What
? is the bearing of A from B ?
B
137° O
48°
48°
Z
A
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LESSON OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the learner should
be able to:
1. Apply the knowledge of sine and cosine
rule in solving bearing and distances
problems.
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Example 1
A soldier walked from his base for 4 km on a
bearing of 060° to a point A.
He then walked a further 5 km due east to a
point B.
Find:
1. The distance of point B from the base?
2. The bearing of B as measured from the base.
3. The
N bearing of the base as measured from B.
A 5 B
30° 150°
060°
4
d
Bas
e
C
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By the cosine rule on ABC
d 2 = 52 +42 – 2 x 5 x 4 x
cos150°
d 2 = 25 + 16 – 40cos150°
d 2 ≈ 75.64
d ≈ 8.7 km
N
A 5 B
30° 150°
060°
4
d.7
8
Bas
e
C
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A soldier walked from his base for 4 km on a
bearing of 060° to a point A.
He then walked a further 5 km due east to a
point B.
Find: 8.7 km
1. The distance of point B from the base?
2. The bearing of B as measured from the base.
3. The bearing of the base as measured from B.
N
A 5 B
30° 150°
060°
4
Bas θ 8.7
e
C
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By the sine rule on ABC :
5 xsinθ = sin150°x 5
5 8.7
sinθ = 5sin150°
8.7
sinθ ≈ 0.287
θ ≈ sin-1 (0.287)
N θ ≈ 17°
A 5 B
30° 150°
060°
4
Bas θ17
° 8.7
e
C
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A soldier walked from his base for 4 km on a
bearing of 060° to a point A.
He then walked a further 5 km due east to a
point B.
Find: 8.7 km
1. The distance of point B from the base? 077°
257°
2. The bearing of B as measured from the base.
3. The bearing of the base as measured from B.
N
A 5 B
30° 150° 77°
060°
4
Bas 17
° 8.7
e B is at a bearing of 077° from the
C
base © T Madas
Example 2
NGM, Book 2 Ex 5c, Question 6, Page 55.
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Example 3
NGM, Book 2 Ex 9e, Question 12, Page 98.
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Class Activity
NGM, Book 2 Ex 5c, Question 5, Page 55.
NGM, Book 2, Ex 9e, Question 6, Page 97.
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Assignment
NGM, Book 2 Ex 5c, Question 4, Page 55.
NGM, Book 2, Ex 9e, Question 9 and
14,Page 97.
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