This exam tips covers Exam Tips within Bearings for GCSE Mathematics. Revise Bearings in Geometry & Measures for GCSE Mathematics with 19 exam-style questions and 5 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 8 of 9 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Exam Tips
X Writing 45° instead of 045°
Always use 3 digits: 045°
This is a marking point - you'll lose marks for 2 digits
X Measuring anticlockwise
Always measure CLOCKWISE from North
Anticlockwise is wrong - bearings are always clockwise
X Forgetting to draw North at EACH point
Draw a North line at every point you measure from
Parallel North lines help you see alternate angles
Practice questions for Bearings
A ship travels in the direction of North-East. Which of the following correctly writes this as a three-figure bearing?
Explain how to find the back bearing (return bearing) of any given bearing. Your answer should cover both cases.
Quick recall flashcards
Bearing of West
270° (three-quarters turn clockwise from North)
Bearing of East
090° (quarter turn clockwise from North)