Bearing Calculator
Compute the compass bearing between two points given their coordinates.
Inputs
Bearing
36.8699°
Distance
5.000000
Step by step
Compute displacement
Δx = 3, Δy = 4
Bearing from north
atan2(Δx, Δy) mod 360°
= 36.869898°
Distance
√(3² + 4²)
= 5
How it works
A bearing is the angle measured clockwise from north (the positive Y-axis) to the direction of travel. It ranges from 0° to 360°. This calculator uses atan2(Δx, Δy) to get the correct quadrant and normalises to [0, 360).
Formula
Bearing formula
bearing = atan2(Δx, Δy) mod 360°
- Δx
- East displacement (x2 − x1)
- Δy
- North displacement (y2 − y1)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between bearing and heading?
In navigation they are often used interchangeably. Both measure direction clockwise from north. 'Heading' typically refers to the direction a craft is pointing; 'bearing' to the direction to a target.
How is bearing different from a standard angle?
Standard math angles are measured counter-clockwise from the positive x-axis. Bearings are measured clockwise from north (positive y-axis).