Scale drawings and bearings Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A revision
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In plain words
A map is a scale drawing: everything is shrunk by the same amount. A bearing is a direction given as an angle, the way ships and planes give them: always measured clockwise from north, and always written with three figures.
Three things to know
- On a scale drawing, a scale such as 1 cm to 5 km tells you how to turn measured lengths into real ones.
- A bearing is measured clockwise from north and written with three figures: east is 090°, south is 180°, west is 270°.
- The bearing back the other way differs by 180°: if B is on a bearing of 070° from A, then A is on a bearing of 250° from B.
Worked example
The bearing of B from A is 070°. Find the bearing of A from B.
- The way back is the opposite direction, which is 180° round.
- 070 + 180 = 250.
- The bearing of A from B is 250°.
Tips and tricks
- "From A" means stand at A: draw the north line at A and measure there.
- Add 180° if the bearing is less than 180°; subtract 180° if it's more.
It lands in your notebook with its questions as flashcards.
Scale drawings and bearings: 5 questions and answers
These are the quiz’s questions. Do the quiz first, then come back here for the ones that got you.
From which direction are bearings measured?
And always clockwise.
What is the bearing of due east?
A quarter turn clockwise from north.
The bearing of Q from P is 040°. What is the bearing of P from Q?
40 + 180.
On a drawing with scale 1 cm to 2 m, how long is a line that represents 9 m?
9 ÷ 2.
How many figures are used to write a bearing?
45° is written 045°.
Quiz
5 questions
Tap an answer and you’ll see straight away whether it’s right, and why.
Worksheet
3 questions, 5 marks. Write your answers on paper, then check them.
Scale drawings and bearings
Edexcel International GCSE Mathematics A 4MA1 · 5 marks · papermunch.org
Name ______________________________ Date ______________
A map has a scale of 1 cm to 5 km. Two towns are 7.2 cm apart on the map. Find the real distance between them.[2]
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36 km.
Write the direction south-west as a three-figure bearing.[1]
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225°.
The bearing of a ship from a lighthouse is 310°. Find the bearing of the lighthouse from the ship.[2]
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130°. 310 − 180.
Answers: Scale drawings and bearings
- 1. 36 km.
- 2. 225°.
- 3. 130°. 310 − 180.