ENGINEERING – URVEYING & GEOMATIC CALCULATOR
Bearing From Coordinates
A precise tool.
What is the Bearing From Coordinates & How does it work?
A bearing is the horizontal angle measured clockwise from the north direction to the line joining two points.
When the positions of the points are expressed as Cartesian coordinates (X, Y), the differences ΞX and ΞY describe the vector between them.
The bearing is obtained with the arctangent function and the distance with the Euclidean norm.
\beta = \operatorname{atan2}(\Delta X, \Delta Y)
\Delta X = Xβ – Xβ, \Delta Y = Yβ – Yβ
Parameters
Result
β
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate the bearing from two sets of coordinates?
Use the formula Ξ² = atan2(ΞX, ΞY), where ΞX is Xβ - Xβ and ΞY is Yβ - Yβ.
What does the atan2 function do in this calculator?
The atan2 function calculates the angle in radians between the positive x-axis and the point (ΞX, ΞY).
How do I convert the bearing from radians to degrees?
Multiply the result of atan2 by 180/Ο to convert it from radians to degrees.
What is the difference between ΞX and ΞY in this context?
ΞX is the difference in the X coordinates (Xβ - Xβ), and ΞY is the difference in the Y coordinates (Yβ - Yβ).
Can I use this calculator for 3D coordinates?
This calculator is designed for 2D Cartesian coordinates. For 3D, you would need a different method.
What is the Euclidean norm mentioned in the context?
The Euclidean norm calculates the straight-line distance between two points using the formula β(ΞXΒ² + ΞYΒ²).
How do I interpret the bearing angle once calculated?
A bearing of 0 degrees is north, 90 degrees is east, 180 degrees is south, and 270 degrees is west.
Results are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice.