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Bearings and scale drawings

Bearings and scale drawings for GCSE Geography Edexcel Higher: what it means, how to set the working out, and the questions it is asked in.
  • GCSE
  • Edexcel
  • Geography
  • Higher
  • Spec A9 · A7 · A20
  • 5 min read
  • 9 revision boxes

Introduction

2 boxes
1 min read

What is bearings and scale drawings?

Listen to this box

Transcript

A short spoken summary of bearings and scale drawings and where it is used.

A spoken walk-through of bearings and scale drawings before you read the notes.
Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
Worth knowing: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7.
5 rows

The bearings and scale drawings reference table

Check the answer against an estimate before you move on, so a place-value slip is caught here.
Term
Meaning
Example
Row 1 column 1
Row 1 column 2
34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
Row 2 column 1
Row 2 column 2
×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left
Row 3 column 1
Row 3 column 2
×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left

Learning

5 boxes
5 steps

How to work with bearings and scale drawings

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing bearings and scale drawings laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for bearings and scale drawings in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2.
Answer: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
3 rules

Key facts: Bearings and scale drawings

The specification wording is precise here, and the mark scheme follows that wording exactly.

  • Rule 1

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0

  • Rule 2

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0

  • Rule 3

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 3rd of the cases the specification names.
    a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
4 steps

How to work with bearings and scale drawings

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for bearings and scale drawings in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
  4. Check the answer against an estimate before writing it down.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7.
Answer: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7
2 rules

Key facts: Bearings and scale drawings

Check the answer against an estimate before you move on, so a place-value slip is caught here.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing bearings and scale drawings laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.

  • Rule 1

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0

  • Rule 2

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}

  • Rule 3

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 3rd of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
4 steps

How to work with bearings and scale drawings

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
  1. Read the question and write down what is being asked for.
  2. Set out the working for bearings and scale drawings in the order the method gives.
  3. Substitute the values and simplify.
Start from the definition and substitute the numbers the question gives you.
Simplify one line at a time: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
Answer: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2

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Examples

2 boxes
4 marks · worked

Worked example: bearings and scale drawings

Practise the routine version until it is automatic, then move to the multi-step questions.
The layout below is the one the mark scheme expects.

Diagram showing bearings and scale drawings laid out step by step

The same idea drawn out, so the method is visible.
Worth knowing: a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2.
1 marks · worked

Practice question 9: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

Practise the routine version until it is automatic, then move to the multi-step questions.

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Common questions

How many marks is bearings and scale drawings usually worth?
Between one and four, depending on how many steps the question asks for.
Is this on the GCSE Geography Edexcel Higher paper?
Yes — it sits in the Spoken language strand.