Maps - WJECBearings

Bearings are an effective way to describe a direction. There are some rules to using bearings that you need to be aware of to use them effectively:

• bearings are always measured clockwise from north
• bearings always have three numbers, and those numbers describe the angle from north

To find the bearing of B from A:

• place your protractor over the north line with 0° at the top
• give the answer as a three-figure bearing

The bearing of B from A is 135°.

Examples

To describe this direction:

We would use a bearing of 125°. This is obtained by placing the protractor so the 0 line is on north and measuring the angle from north to the direction of travel.

These three directions can be described with the bearings below them. Pay particular attention to the first diagram – notice that the angle is 60° but the bearing is 060°.

Bearings are always three figures, and are always measured clockwise from north.