week 2 : Direction and Bearing

Subject: Geography Week 2

 Class:      SS2

Topic: Direction and Bearing

Specific Objectives: By the end of this lesson the students should be able to;     

1. Identify major cardinal points
2. Describe ways of showing direction
3. Indicate and determine the direction of bearing on a map
4. Use direction and bearing to find location on a field

MEASUREMENT OF DIRECTION

The direction of one place or object from another is expressed by means of compass point or cardinal point.

The four main directions of the cardinal points are the North, South, East and West.

Fig. 1: The four cardinal points

 For better accuracy in the measurement of direction, eight cardinal points are used. These are the North, North-East, North-West, South, South-East, South-West, East and West.

Fig.2: The eight cardinal points

There are also the 16 cardinal points but this is used at advanced level.

Methodsof Measuring Direction on a Map       

1. Locate the two points or places involved on the map, let’s say, Awka and Enugu
2. Place your cardinal point at Awka because you are looking for the direction of Enugu from Awka
3. Using your ruler, join Awka to Enugu with a straight line and check which of the eight cardinal points that falls on the line.
4. The cardinal point on that line or near it is the direction

MEASUREMENT OF BEARING

The direction of one place to another is described as its bearing.

Bearing is expressed in degrees, using the protractor, measured from North in a clockwise direction.

Methods of Measuring Bearingon a Map

1. Locate the two places involved on the map let’s say, Awka and Enugu.
2. Place your four cardinal point at Awka because you are looking for the bearing of Enugu from Awka
3. Using your ruler, join Awka to Enugu with a straight line
4. Place your protractor on the side of the line and the degree which falls on that line is represents the bearing.

It is proper to distinguish the three types of Norths in relation to bearing which aids the orientation of a place.

1. True North: This, which is derived from a line (meridian) of longitude, is the direction of the North Pole.
2. Grid North: This is the direction which is shown by north-south grid lines on the map.
3. Magnetic North: This is obtained through the use of magnetic compass.

The angle between the magnetic North and the True North is called the Magnetic Variation or Declination.

THE GRID REFERENCE SYSTEM                

A grid is a system of numbered squares, formed by vertical and horizontal lines and usually shown on map surfaces. It enables us to determine the position of a place accurately. They also help the map reader to reduce or enlarge the original map extract to a given size.

Vertical grid lines are numbered eastward and are called eastings because they increase in value eastward. Horizontal grid lines are called northings because they increase in value northward. The combination of eastings and northings produces a four-figure or six-figure grid reference.

Fig.3: The four-figure grid reference system

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