Not using three figures for bearings
"The Missing Zero"
The Mistake in Action
The bearing of B from A is 45°.
Why It Happens
Students write the mathematically correct angle but forget that bearings are conventionally written with three digits.
The Fix
Bearings must always be written with three figures.
Add leading zeros if needed:
- 5° → 005°
- 45° → 045°
- 90° → 090°
Only bearings from 100° to 360° naturally have three digits.
Why? It avoids confusion and is the standard convention for navigation.
Spot the Mistake
Can you identify where this student went wrong?
The bearing is
45°
Click on the line that contains the error.
Related Topics
Learn more about the underlying maths: