UNITS OF ANGULAR MEASUREMENT

-the magnitude of an angle can be expressed in different units, all of which are basically
derived from the division of the circumference of a circle.

1. The Degree

2. The Radian

3. The Grad

4. The Mil

Unit Conversion

1 rev = 360° = 2π radians = 400 grads = 6400 mils

BEARING – the direction of a line maybe described by giving its bearing. The bearing of a line is the
acute horizontal angle between the reference meridian and the line.

Example:

Bearing of lines: Line pa = N 44°30’ E

Line pb = S 50°15’ E

Line pc = Due South

Line pd = S 60°18’ W

Line pe = Due West

Line pf = N 20°40’ W

FORWARD AND BACK BEARING – when the bearing of a line is observed in the direction in which the
survey progresses, it is referred to as a forward bearing, if the bearing of the same line is observed in
an opposite direction it is called the back bearing.

Example:

LINE FORWARD BEARING BACK BEARING

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

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.

Ex. Azimuth (from north) of lines: Line pa = 45°10’

Line pb = 145°05’

Line pc = 230°52’

Line pd = 342°48’
Ex. Azimuth (from south) of lines: Line pa = 56°18’

Line pb = 155°44’

Line pc = 225°29’

Line pd = 270°

Line pe = 325°05’

FORWARD AND BACK AZIMUTHS – any line established on the earth’s surface has two azimuths - a
forward and a back azimuth. Depending on which end of the line is considered, these directions differ
by 180 degrees from each other since the back azimuth is the exact reverse of the forward azimuth.
To determine the back azimuth when the forward azimuth is known, the following rules are used:

RULE 1: if the forward azimuth of the line is greater then 180 deg., subtract 180 deg. to obtain the
back azimuth.

RULE 2: when the forward azimuth of the line is less than 180 deg., add 180 degrees to determine the
back azimuth.