Define variation

Define variation

• A. Variation is the difference between true heading and magnetic heading
• B. Variation is the difference between latitude and longitude
• C. Variation is the difference between true bearing and course
• D. Variation is the difference between east and west

Answer: (A)

Variation is the angular difference between true north and magnetic north at a given location, which tells you how far your compass heading (magnetic heading) is from the direction toward true north (true heading). This matters because to navigate accurately, you convert between true headings and magnetic headings using this variation, noting that variation can be east or west depending on where you are and changes over time as the magnetic field shifts. The statement that best captures this is the one describing variation as the difference between true heading and magnetic heading. The other options refer to unrelated concepts—distance between latitude and longitude, the distinction between bearing and course (often affected by wind), or a vague east-west difference.

Variation is the angular difference between true north and magnetic north at a given location, which tells you how far your compass heading (magnetic heading) is from the direction toward true north (true heading). This matters because to navigate accurately, you convert between true headings and magnetic headings using this variation, noting that variation can be east or west depending on where you are and changes over time as the magnetic field shifts. The statement that best captures this is the one describing variation as the difference between true heading and magnetic heading. The other options refer to unrelated concepts—distance between latitude and longitude, the distinction between bearing and course (often affected by wind), or a vague east-west difference.