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Bearings and scale drawings

Bearings and scale drawings for GCSE Music OCR Foundation: what it means, how to set the working out, and the questions it is asked in.
  • GCSE
  • OCR
  • Music
  • Foundation
  • Spec R6 · R7
  • 11 min read
  • 8 revision boxes

Introduction

2 boxes
2 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.
The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
Worth knowing: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}.
6 rows

The bearings and scale drawings reference table

This idea appears again in the higher-mark questions, so it is worth over-learning.
Worth knowing: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.
Term
Meaning
Example
Common slip
Row 1 column 1
Row 1 column 2
≈160\approx 160
Row 1 column 4
Row 2 column 1
Row 2 column 2
a2+b2=c2a^2 + b^2 = c^2
Row 2 column 4
Row 3 column 1
Row 3 column 2
x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0
Row 3 column 4
Row 4 column 1
Row 4 column 2
34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
Row 4 column 4

Learning

4 boxes
4 steps

How to work with bearings and scale drawings

Sketch the shape even when the question does not ask for one — it makes the next step obvious.
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.
  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: 49=7\sqrt{49} = 7.
Answer: ≈160\approx 160
2 rules

Key facts: 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.

  • Rule 1

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    49=7\sqrt{49} = 7

  • 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
3 steps

How to work with bearings and scale drawings

The examiner marks the working, so a correct answer with no method still drops marks.
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. 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: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0.
Answer: 34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}
3 rules

Key facts: Bearings and scale drawings

This idea appears again in the higher-mark questions, so it is worth over-learning.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.

  • Rule 1

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 1st of the cases the specification names.
    34×25\frac{3}{4} \times \frac{2}{5}

  • Rule 2

    How bearings and scale drawings behaves in the 2nd of the cases the specification names.
    ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left

20 minutes

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Examples

2 boxes
3 marks · worked

Worked example: bearings and scale drawings

Work through the method one line at a time and write down what changes at each step.
4 marks · worked

Practice question 8: x2+5x+6=0x^2 + 5x + 6 = 0

Read the units in the question before you start; a converted unit is the most common slip.
Worth knowing: ×10\times 10 moves every digit one column left.

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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 Music OCR Foundation paper?
Yes — it sits in the Spoken language strand.