Bearings
Understanding Bearings
- Get to grips with bearings as a method of describing a direction based on angles.
- Know that bearings are always measured in degrees.
- Understand that bearings are given as a three-figure number (for instance, 005°, not 5°).
Measuring Bearings
- Recognise bearings as measured from the North line, which is a vertical line pointing upwards on a diagram.
- Understand that measurements continue in a clockwise direction, from north around to east, south, west, and coming back to north.
Reading Bearings
- Define a bearing from one point A to another point B as the angle measured clockwise from the north line at A to the line segment AB.
- Be aware that bearings are always read looking outwards from the specified point.
Using Bearings in Navigation
- Understand how bearings are applied in real world scenarios such as navigation.
- Acknowledge that bearings can be used to give the direction of travel, or the direction from one point to another.
Investigating Bearings
- Develop the skill to use rulers and protractors to measure distances and angles on scale diagrams.
- Learn to calculate bearings when given other bearings and angles or when working with triangles.
- Contrast the way bearings are described (using three digits) with the way normal angles are usually described (using two digits).
Applying Bearings in Geometry
- Recognise that bearings can be determined using properties of parallel lines and alternate angles.
- Understand that bearings allow calculation or determination of other angles in geometric problems, and vice versa.
- Remember that understanding and ability to use bearings are essential for solving many geometric and navigational problems.