Student Surveyor

Calculate bearing

Can anyone tell me how to calculate the bearing between to coordinates or have a formula to use???

ie: A = 435.25N               B = 401.90N

           235.98E                     465.01E

Thanks again

Mat

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  • Pretty simple formula.....

    Bearing= ATAN(change x/change in y) 

    Bearing=ATAN[(235.98-465.01)/(435.25-401.90)]

    Bearing=ATAN(-229.03/33.35)

    Bearing=ATAN(-6.8674663)

    Bearing=-81.7151543 or in DMS -81.4255   Be conscious of direction, By looking at the coordinates, it is easy to tell that the bearing is going south and east.

    Bearing=S81-42-55E

    Hope that help!

    David

  • tan-1 delta E/delta N

    i.e subtract easting Pt.A from easting Pt B, northing Pt A from northing Pt B to derive deltas (difference in grid distances), then use these deltas in the above formula. Opposite direction is of course calculated bearing +/- 180d.

    Hope that helps

  • Government Professional

    I will post a formula as soon as I find it, should be in the next day or 2.

  • Land Surveyor

    The distance = SQRT((x2 –x1)2+(y2 –y1)2+(z2 –z1)2)

    The azimuth = arctan((x2 –x1)/(y2 –y1)) (always in two dimensions)

    The plunge = arcsin ((z2 – z1) / distance) (if interested in 3D)

    You can do the math.

    JAC

  • Student Surveyor

    thanks eveybody appreciate the help

  • In a trig calculator (HP in my experience), simply subtract the easting of point A from the easting of point B, then subtract the northing of point A from the northing of point B, hit R-P (rectangular to polar) and you will get the direct distance, then the angle from North or East.

     You may need to hit roll-down to see the azimuth and you will need to use your brain a little, to see what quadrant (NE, SE, SW, NW) that answer should be in (is the delta North more or less than the delta East?).   You will also need to convert to D.MMSS if that is what you want the answer to be in.

    As I put this in writing, it seems complex, but I have been doing this in the field for 35+ years, since my father taught me the great functions programmed into HP trig calculators.  

    • Calculate bearing

      An=435.25 Bn=401.90
      Ae=235.98 Be=465.01

      Bn-An = Dn = -33.35
      Be-Ae = De = 229.03

      Inverse distance = sqrt of (Dn^2+De^2) = 231.4454 = Hypotenuse or Hyp

      Bearing by determining angle off of N-S grid line

      1. ArcSin(De/Hyp) this is in decimal degrees
      2. De/Hyp= 0.98563845
      3. ArcSin(0.98563845) = 81.7151184
      4. 81 degrees 60x 0.7151184 = 42.9071041
      5. 42 minutes 60x 0.9071041 = 54.426
      6. 54 seconds

      NW              NE
      Dn+ De- | Dn+ De+
      --------------------------
      Dn- De- | Dn- De+
      SE             SW

      S.81°42'54"E. 231.4454 units (i.e. feet or meters or miles or kilometers)

      I think this is one method.  I think it is correct, did it pretty quickly.

      Make your life easy. Download my DC_Survey Software its free!

      www.dc-survey-software.com
      Good luck
      Marcus [email protected]

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