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NSWMaths Standard 2Quick questions
Year 12: Measurement
Quick questions on Radial surveys and bearings for HSC Maths Standard 2
11short Q&A pairs drawn directly from our worked dot-point answer. For full context and worked exam questions, read the parent dot-point page.
What is true bearings?Show answer
A true bearing is measured clockwise from north, in three digits, from to .
What is compass bearings?Show answer
A compass bearing uses a primary direction (N or S) followed by an angle, then E or W. For example, NE means east of due north.
What is back-bearings?Show answer
If the bearing of from is , then the bearing of from is (subtract if the result exceeds ).
What is radial surveys?Show answer
A radial survey records the distances and true bearings of several points from a single central station. The data is usually given as a table or a diagram.
What is common geometry pitfalls?Show answer
The interior angle of a triangle at the bend of a path is not the change of bearing. It is the supplement of the change of bearing.
What is coastal survey (Australian context)?Show answer
From the lighthouse at Norah Head on the NSW Central Coast, two ships are observed: ship at bearing true, distance km, and ship at bearing true, distance km.
What is back-bearing?Show answer
If a yacht observes the headland at bearing , what bearing is the yacht from the headland?
What is two-digit bearings?Show answer
Always use three digits: , not .
What is mixing up compass and true?Show answer
NE is not the same as true unless you read it carefully (in this case they happen to coincide). NW is bearing .
What is wrong calculator mode?Show answer
Always degrees, not radians.
What is no diagram?Show answer
Mark up a diagram with north arrows at every point. Bearings are reckoned from each point's local north, not a single global one. Marker expectation: a labelled diagram before any algebra.