🔍 Key Concepts
• Relationship between numerical course angle (0°–180°) and quadrant naming using N/S first, then E/W
• Determine whether the course generally goes toward the NE, SE, SW, or NW quadrant by comparing starting and ending latitudes and longitudes
• How great-circle initial course angles between 0°–180° are expressed in traditional notation (e.g., N xx° E, S xx° W, etc.)
💭 Think About
• From 07° 12' N to 47° 12' S, are you generally going north or south? That tells you whether the course name starts with N or S.
• From 80° 00' W to 169° 18' E (short way around the globe), are you generally going east or west? That tells you whether the course ends with E or W.
• If the initial great-circle course is 137.25°, think about in which quadrant (NE, SE, SW, NW) that lies when measured from 0° at north, increasing clockwise.
✅ Before You Answer
• Confirm whether the latitude change is from north to south or south to north.
• Confirm whether the shorter path in longitude is mainly toward east or mainly toward west.
• Verify that a course angle between 90° and 180° corresponds to the correct quadrant (SE or SW) when naming the course.