BEARING AND NAVIGATION

A useful application of trigonometry (and geometry) is in navigation and

surveying. In surveying and navigation, directions are generally given in terms of
bearings. A bearing measures the acute angle that a path or line of sight makes with a
fixed north‐south line.

In mathematics, a bearing is the angle in degrees measured clockwise from north.

Bearings are usually given as a three-figure bearing. For example, 30° clockwise from
north is usually written as 030°.

You can use right triangles to find distances using angles given as bearings. In
navigation, a bearing is the direction from one object to another. In air navigation,
bearings are given as angles rotated clockwise from the north.

Types of bearing:
Compass Bearings are used as methods of navigation in relation to the north
direction by angles. They help locate objects or positions within a two-dimensional
plane, such as a map or diagram.

50o Interpreted as N50oE (read as ‘fifty degrees north-west’) and

S70oE. Initial side of an angle starts from either North or
W E South which moves clockwise or counterclockwise
depending on the nearest initial side.

S
 True bearings are the last navigation method we will be discussing. Often used
in navigation, angles are often given in three digits, clockwise from pure north. Let's
learn how to report true bearings.

Interpreted as 210o, no need to express directions. Always starts

220o clockwise from north.

Example 1:
Jim and Ted live on one side of the river, and Martha lives on the other side. The
distance across the river is 100 yards. Ted, who lives downstream from Martha, measures
an angle of 35 degrees between the shoreline and a straight line leading to Martha's
house. Jim, who lives upstream from Martha, measures an angle of 60 degrees. How far
apart do Ted and Jim live?
Solution:
The relative positions of Martha, Jim, and Ted are represented in this picture:

Now, it is much easier to visualize what is going on. The distance in yards from
Jim to the position directly across the stream from Martha is given as:
100
𝑡𝑎𝑛60 =
𝑥
And the distance in yards from Jim to the position directly across the stream from
Martha is given as:
100
𝑡𝑎𝑛35 =
𝑦
So, the distance from Ted to Jim is given by
𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 = 𝑥 + 𝑦
 100 100
= +
𝑡𝑎𝑛60 𝑡𝑎𝑛35
= 57.7 + 142.8
= 200.5 𝑦𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑠

Example 2:
A private plane flies for 1.3 hours at 110 mph on a bearing of 40°. Then it turns
and continues another 1.5 hours at the same speed, but on a bearing of 130°. At the end
of this time, how far is the plane from its starting point?
Solution:
The bearings tell us the angles from "due north" in a clockwise direction. Since 130
– 40 = 90, the two bearings give us a right triangle. From the times and rates, we have:
1.3 × 110 = 143
1.5 × 110 = 165
Now, let's give the geometrical shape to our problem and set up a triangle:

Using the Pythagorean theorem, we get

𝐶 2 = 1432 + 1652
𝐶 2 = 20449 + 27225
𝑐 2 = 47674

√𝐶 2 = √47674
𝑐 = 218.34 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠
ACTIVITY 8
Perform the indicated operations:
1. A, B and C are three ships. The bearing of A from B is 045º. The bearing of C
from A is 135º. If AB= 8km and AC= 6km, what is the bearing of B from C?

2. A bearing is an angle, measured clockwise from the north direction. Below, the
bearing of B from A is 025 degrees (note 3 figures are always given). The
bearing of A from B is 205 degrees.