Measurement of

Angles and Directions

DIRECTION OF A LINE

Defined as the horizontal angle the

line makes with an established line
of reference.

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KINDS OF ANGLES:

 Interior Angles

 Exterior Angles

 Deflection Angles

 Angles to the right

 Bearings

 Azimuths

INTERIOR ANGLES (Φ)

 Angles between adjacent lines in a
closed polygon

Φb

A C
Φa Φc

Φe Φd

E D

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EXTERIOR ANGLES (α)
 Located outside a closed polygon and
referred to as explement of interior
angles.
αb
B

αa A C αc

E D
αe αd

DEFLECTION ANGLES (ω)

 The angle between a line and the
prolongation of the preceding line
 It may be turned to the right (clockwise)(+)
or to the left (counterclockwise)(-)

D ωd (R)
B ωb (R)

A
C ωc (L) E

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ANGLES TO THE RIGHT (β)
 Measured clockwise from the preceding
line to the succeeding line.

βc
E
A
C
βb βd

B D

BEARING
 The acute horizontal angle between the
reference meridian and the line

(0°)
N

(90°) W E (90°)

S
(0°)

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FORWARD AND BACK BEARING

 FORWARD BEARING – the bearing of a

line is observed in the direction in which
the survey progresses.

 BACK BEARING – the bearing of a line is

observed in an opposite direction in
which the survey progresses.

B
D

44° 38’ 42° 30’ 18° 12’

56° 50’

A
C E

LINE FORWARD BEARING BACK BEARING

AB N 44° 38’ E S 44° 38’ W
BC S 42° 30’ E N 42° 30’ W
CD N 56° 50’ E S 56° 50’ W
DE S 18° 12’ E N 18° 12’ W

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 AZIMUTHS
 The azimuth of a line is its direction as given
by the angle between the meridian and the
line measured in a clockwise direction from
either the north or south branch of the
meridian.
N

W E

From north

b From south

FORWARD AND BACK AZIMUTHS

 RULE 1: If the forward azimuth of the line

is greater than 180 degrees, subtract 180
degrees to obtain the back azimuth.

 RULE 2: When the forward azimuth of the

line is less than 180 degrees, add 180
degrees to determine the back azimuth.

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FORWARD
BACK 345° E
314°

50° B

165° D
255°
230° C 75°
A
134°

OBS AZIM FR SOUTH CALC AZIM FR NORTH

LINE FORWARD BACK FORWARD BACK
AB 230° 50° 50° 230°
BC 314° 134° 134° 314°
CD 255° 75° 75° 255°
DE 165° 345° 345° 165°

Given the ff. record of azimuths of the sides of

a polygon, determine the bearing, deflection
angle, angle to the right of the course and
the interior angle.
LINE AZIM FR SOUTH
1–2 200° 32’
2–3 291° 34’
3–4 22° 22’
4–1 112° 14’

LINE BEARING ω β Φ
1–2 1 1 1
2–3 2 2 2
3–4 3 3 3
4–1 4 4 4