Surveying & Geomatics
Intermediate

Bearing from Coordinates

Direction of a line from the change in easting and northing.

Formula

α=arctan⁡ΔEΔN\alpha = \arctan\frac{\Delta E}{\Delta N}

Variables

\alphaBearing
\Delta EChange in easting
\Delta NChange in northing

Example

ΔE=50, ΔN=86.6: α = arctan(0.577) = 30°

Did You Know?

Surveyors must add the right quadrant correction, since arctan alone can't tell N-E from S-W.

surveyingbearingdirection

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