lesson
Updated 6 days ago · 2 views
Imagine you are the captain of a ship sailing across the ocean. How do you tell your crew exactly which way to steer so you do not get lost?
Sailors and pilots use a special direction number called a bearing. To make sure everyone goes the right way, bearings follow three golden rules.
Where do we point our compass before we start turning?
Rule 1: Always Start at North
Every bearing begins by pointing straight up toward North. North is our starting line at 0∘.
📊Interactive diagram
Once we point North, which way do we turn?
Rule 2: Turn Clockwise
We always turn clockwise, which means turning to the right, just like the hands on a wall clock.
Hundreds of years ago, navigators chose clockwise because the shadow on a sundial turned to the right as the sun moved across the sky.
📊Interactive diagram
How do we write down the bearing so a pilot reading a crackly radio never gets confused?