Bearing Between Two Points
A bearing is measured clockwise from north as zero. Using atan2 returns a value in 0–360° without case-checking quadrants. The reciprocal bearing for the return trip is shown too.
Your numbers
Bearing
29.74°
Distance
80.623
Angle (°)
209.74°
What it means
A bearing of 29.74° points north-east; the return bearing is 209.74°.
Formula
Bearing = atan2(x₂ − x₁, y₂ − y₁)
Here y is north and x is east. For latitude and longitude the Earth’s curvature requires the great-circle formula instead.
What to enter
| Input | Default | Accepted range |
|---|---|---|
| x₁The horizontal coordinate of the first point. | 0 | No limit |
| y₁The vertical coordinate of the first point. | 0 | No limit |
| x₂The horizontal coordinate of the second point. | 40 | No limit |
| y₂The vertical coordinate of the second point. | 70 | No limit |
Step by step
Quick reference table
Results when only x₂ changes and everything else stays put.
| x₂ | Bearing (°) | Distance | Angle (°) (°) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | 15.95 | 72.801 | 195.95 |
| 30 | 23.2 | 76.158 | 203.2 |
| 40 | 29.74 | 80.623 | 209.74 |
| 60 | 40.6 | 92.195 | 220.6 |
| 80 | 48.81 | 106.301 | 228.81 |
What each result means
| Result | At default values |
|---|---|
| Bearing (°)The angle clockwise from north, with north as zero. | 29.74 |
| DistanceThe straight-line distance between two points. | 80.623 |
| Angle (°) (°)An angle in degrees; a full turn is 360°. | 209.74 |
Common mistakes
Here y is north and x is east. For latitude and longitude the Earth’s curvature requires the great-circle formula instead.
Glossary
- x₁
- The horizontal coordinate of the first point.
- y₁
- The vertical coordinate of the first point.
- x₂
- The horizontal coordinate of the second point.
- y₂
- The vertical coordinate of the second point.
- Bearing
- The angle clockwise from north, with north as zero.
- Distance
- The straight-line distance between two points.
- Angle (°)
- An angle in degrees; a full turn is 360°.
Frequently asked questions
Q. How is Bearing Between Two Points calculated?
Bearing = atan2(x₂ − x₁, y₂ − y₁) — A bearing is measured clockwise from north as zero. Using atan2 returns a value in 0–360° without case-checking quadrants. The reciprocal bearing for the return trip is shown too.
Q. Can you walk through an example?
With x₁ 0, y₁ 0, x₂ 40, y₂ 70, the answer is Bearing 29.74°.
Q. What do I need to enter?
Enter x₁, y₁, x₂, y₂. The result recalculates as you type, and an empty box counts as zero.
Q. How much does the answer move if I change a number?
Changing only x₂ moves the answer to x₂ 20 → Bearing (°) 15.95 and x₂ 80 → Bearing (°) 48.81. The table below lays out five steps.
Q. How are the numbers rounded?
Money is shown to the nearest whole unit, percentages to one decimal place and everything else to two. What you see is rounded; the calculation itself carries the unrounded value forward.
Q. Anything to watch out for?
Here y is north and x is east. For latitude and longitude the Earth’s curvature requires the great-circle formula instead.
Related calculators
Keep your length units consistent across inputs — mixing centimetres and metres throws results far off.