Quick question about compass/degree

[personguything]

Hi!
My textbook has an answer written as 50° SW. I thought 50° was NE?...Does the book mean -50°(230°)?

Thanks!

 

[gneill]

Hi!
My textbook has an answer written as 50° SW. I thought 50° was NE?...Does the book mean -50°(230°)?

Thanks!

Could be they mean 50° South of West, equivalent to 180° + 50° = 230°.

-50° would be equivalent to 310°.

 

[personguything]

OHHH south OF west haha I understand. Thanks!

 

[CWatters]

Could be they mean 50° South of West, equivalent to 180° + 50° = 230°.

Wouldn't that be 50 degrees West of South :-)

West is 270 degrees so 50 degrees South of West would be 220.

 

[Nickie]

Hello, thank you for your question. It is important to note that there are different conventions for labeling compass directions and degrees. In some conventions, such as the one used in your textbook, 0 degrees is considered North and the degrees increase in a clockwise direction. In this convention, 50° SW would mean 50 degrees to the southwest of North. However, in other conventions, 0 degrees is considered East and the degrees increase in a counterclockwise direction. In this convention, 50° would indeed be Northeast. It is always important to clarify which convention is being used in order to avoid confusion. In terms of your question about -50° (230°), this would depend on the convention being used. If the convention is the same as your textbook, then -50° would be 50 degrees to the southwest of North. In a different convention, it could mean 50 degrees to the northwest of East. I hope this helps clarify the confusion.