Bearing can be defined as the clockwise angular movement
between two distant places.
Rules
for Solving Bearing and Distances
1. Taking reading in bearing starts from the North Pole in
clockwise direction and ends also at the North pole. I.e. North – North Pole reading.
2. All angles formed while taking reading in bearing is
equal to 360 degrees.
3. All questions in bearing leads into the formation of a
triangle.
Examples;
1. A boat sails 6km from a port X on a bearing of 0650
and thereafter 13km on a bearing of 1360. What is the distance and
bearing of the boat from X?
Solution
Step 1
You will need to represent the question on a triangle.
You will actually need a ruler and pencil for drawing along
with a good eraser in case you make mistake.
Take your pencil and draw a point X, take ruler and rule a
straight line to another point Y and rule another straight line to point Z and
finally close it up at point X again. See below;
Step 2
Use Cosine Rule to solve for
ykm;
From
Cosine Rule;
b2 = a2 +
c2 – 2ac Cos B
Step
3
Replace a, b, c and B with x,
y, z and Y respectively;
y2 = x2 +
z2 – 2xz Cos Y
y2 = 132
+ 62 - 2 (13) (6) Cos 1090
y2 = 169 + 36 – 156
(- 0.3256)
Note;
( - × - = + )
y2 = 205 + 156 x
0.3256
y2 = 205 + 50.7886
y2 = 255.7886
Step4
Take square root of both sides;
Step5
To find the bearing of the boat from X,
we will apply Sine Rule;
From
Sine Rule;
Step 6
Cross Multiply;
Step 7
Divide both sides by 16km;
Step 8
The bearing of boat from the port will be
0650 + θ
Which is 0650 + 500
= 1150 (answer).
2.
An aircraft takes off from an airstrip at an average speed of 20km/hr on a
bearing of 0520 for 3 hours. It then changes course and flies on a
bearing of 0280 at an average speed of 3okm/hr for another 11/2
hours. Find;
a. its distance from the starting point,
b. the bearing of the aircraft from the
airstrip.
Solution
Step
1
Step
2
Use Cosine rule to solve for side b;
From
Cosine Rule;
b2 = a2 +
c2 – 2ac Cos B
b2 = 452
+ 602 – 2 (45) (60) Cos 1560
b2 = 2025 + 3600 – 5400
(- 0.9135)
b2 = 5625 + 5400 x 0.9135
b2 = 5625 + 4932.9
b2 = 10557.9
Step
3
To find the bearing of the aircraft from
the airstrip, you must first find θ;
Find θ using Sine Rule below;
From
Sine Rule;
Step
4
Cross Multiply;
103km (Sin θ) = 45km x Sin 1560
Step
5
Divide both sides by 103km;
Note; (103km
cancels itself and 45 x 0.4067 gives 18.3015)
Sin θ = 0.1776
θ = Sin-1 0.1776 (Note; when taking Sin to the RHS, it
becomes inverse)
θ = 10.22990
To find the bearing will be 0520
– θ
Bearing = 0520 – 10.22990
Bearing = 41.770
Practice
these questions below;
1. A ship leaves port and travels 21km on
a bearing of 0320 and then 45km on a bearing of 2870.
(a) Calculate its distance from the port.
(b) Calculate the bearing of the port
from the ship.
2.
A surveyor leaves her base camp and drives 42km on a bearing of 0320,
she then drives 28km on a bearing of 1540. How far is she then from
her base camp and what is her bearing from it?
3.
Two ships leave port at the same time and travels at 5km/hr on a bearing of 0460.
The other travels at 9km/hr on a bearing of 1270. How far apart are
the ships after 2 hours?
4.
A triangular field has two sides 50m and 60m long, and the angle between them
is 0960. How long is the third side?