You are steaming on a course of 167° T at...

Question 1 of 2707066636eea28f7522a1c51b62a

You are steaming on a course of 167° T at 19.5 knots. At 1837 you observe a lighthouse bearing 224° T. At 1904 the lighthouse bears 268° T. What is your distance off at the second bearing?

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Question 1 of 27070

You are steaming on a course of 167° T at 19.5 knots. At 1837 you observe a lighthouse bearing 224° T. At 1904 the lighthouse bears 268° T. What is your distance off at the second bearing?

🔍 Key Concepts

• Use the time between bearings and your speed to find the distance run between 1837 and 1904 • Sketch the relative positions: your track line and the two bearings from the lighthouse to your vessel • Think about the geometry of bearings from a fixed object to a moving vessel and how that gives a right or known triangle

💭 Think About

• First compute how many minutes pass between 1837 and 1904, then convert that to hours and multiply by 19.5 knots to get distance run • Draw your course line (167° T) as a straight line and plot the lighthouse at an unknown position so that the 1837 and 1904 bearings (224° T and 268° T) intersect your track at the right points • Use basic trigonometry (or a traverse table / law of sines) on the triangle formed by the two observed positions and the lighthouse to find your distance abeam at the second bearing

✅ Before You Answer

• Be sure your time difference is correctly converted to hours before multiplying by 19.5 knots • Double‑check that you are using true bearings correctly: they are drawn from the lighthouse to the ship (or vice versa), and that your course line is 167° T • Confirm that the angle at the lighthouse or at one of the ship’s positions is correctly identified before applying any sine/cosine or law of sines relationship