It describes the direction of a destination or object.
Yuji Kotani / Getty Images
The Definition of ‘Bearing’
The term predates GPS.
Mathematicians were calculating bearing by hand for centuries before satellites made navigation as easy as pressing a button.
Yuji Kotani / Getty Images
Traditionally, bearing is measured in degrees and calculated clockwise from true north.
It’s typically represented as three figures.
For example, the bearing for the direction of east is 090.
Bearing is sometimes called “true bearing” because of its relationship to true north.
In GPS navigation, bearing is sometimes referred to as the “bearing to next waypoint.”
Bearing and direction are not interchangeable terms.
It transmits geolocation, time, and weather information to GPS receivers on Earth.
The U.S. government maintains the GPS and allows free access to it.
GPS functionality has become a common feature of most smartphones and many other modern electronic devices.
With that information, it can calculate your bearing or the direction you take to move toward your destination.
Some machine maps offer alternative routes to a destination.
How Is Bearing Calculated?
Bearing is calculated as an angle measured in degrees in a clockwise direction from true north.
Why Is My GPS Pointing Me in the Wrong Direction?
That’s because GPS-enabled devices calculate bearing before they calculate the direction of travel.
GPS devices calculate bearing based on the target coordinates and the GPS receiver’s present location.
Next, the GPS determines the exact direction you must travel by measuring your position in approximately one-second intervals.
Once you are moving at a consistent speed, GPS becomes extremely reliable.
Due to the meticulous nature of the Global Positioning System, your GPS rig will always accurately calculate bearing.
However, it might occasionally take you in the wrong direction.
