Question

hiking a damaged compass points northwest instead of north. if you travel west by the compass, what is your angle of rotation to true north?

° clockwise or ° counterclockwise

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the compass directions

A standard compass has directions divided into \(90^{\circ}\) between adjacent main directions (N - E, E - S, S - W, W - N). The northwest direction is \(45^{\circ}\) between north and west.

Step2: Determine the rotation from west (by the damaged compass) to true north

If the compass - indicated west is actually northwest (since the compass is damaged and points northwest as north), to get from the compass - indicated west (actual northwest) to true north.
We know that from northwest to north is a \(45^{\circ}\) clockwise rotation.

Answer:

\(45\) \(^{\circ}\) clockwise