🔍 Key Concepts

• Meaning of regulatory / informational buoys in the U.S. Aids to Navigation System • The shape and position of the orange symbol (diamond, circle, cross, rectangle) and what each generally represents • Difference between information, controlled areas, exclusion areas, and danger markings

💭 Think About

• Think about which buoy symbol is used specifically to GIVE you written words or symbols, rather than to mark a boundary you must not cross • Ask yourself: which shapes usually mark limits you must obey (like speed or no‑wake), and which shapes just tell you something? • Visualize the four common orange symbols and match each one to one of the four answer choices.

✅ Before You Answer

• Confirm that you know the distinct meanings of orange diamond, diamond with cross, circle, and rectangle on white buoys • Make sure you are not confusing buoys that mean keep out / exclusion with buoys that simply convey information or instructions • Verify which symbol is most likely to contain words or text, such as place names, directions, or other non-regulatory information