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Bearing Formula:
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Bearing calculation determines the direction from one point to another, measured in degrees clockwise from true north. It's essential for navigation, surveying, and various engineering applications.
The calculator uses the bearing formula:
Where:
Explanation: The atan2 function calculates the angle between the positive x-axis and the point (Δx, Δy), with adjustments to convert to compass bearing (0-360° from north).
Details: Accurate bearing calculation is crucial for navigation systems, geographic information systems (GIS), surveying, robotics, and any application requiring precise directional information between two points.
Tips: Enter the north difference (Δy) and east difference (Δx) in meters. The calculator will compute the bearing in degrees (0-360° clockwise from true north).
Q1: What's the difference between bearing and heading?
A: Bearing refers to the direction to a destination point, while heading is the direction the vehicle or person is currently facing.
Q2: How is bearing different from azimuth?
A: In navigation, bearing and azimuth are often used interchangeably, though azimuth is typically measured from true north while bearing can be measured from different reference points.
Q3: What coordinate system does this use?
A: This calculator uses Cartesian coordinates with north as positive y and east as positive x, converting to compass bearing.
Q4: How accurate is the bearing calculation?
A: The calculation is mathematically precise based on the input coordinates. Accuracy depends on the precision of your coordinate measurements.
Q5: Can this be used for great circle navigation?
A: This calculates rhumb line bearing. For great circle navigation over long distances, additional spherical trigonometry calculations are needed.