What Do the Letters and Numbers on a Compass Mean?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What do the letters and numbers on a compass mean?

The Big Idea

A compass is covered with letters and numbers. They are not decorations, they are a secret code for finding your way. Let's crack the code and learn to read the dial like a real explorer!

Four Letters

Step one: four letters. The letters N, E, S, and W stand for north, east, south, and west. Pairs like NE mean halfway between, so northeast sits between north and east. Try saying it out loud!

Numbers in Degrees

Step two: numbers in degrees. The numbers around the edge measure direction in degrees, from 0 to 360 in a full circle. North is 0, east is 90, south is 180, and west is 270.

Exact Directions

Step three: exact directions. Northeast is 45 degrees, halfway between north and east. Hikers use the numbers to give exact directions.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! The letters name the directions. The numbers measure degrees. North is zero. East is ninety.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! A full turn around a circle is 360 degrees, whatever size the circle is. Remember, north is zero, and east is ninety. Hikers love the numbers for exact directions. And NE means halfway between north and east.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Stand in the middle of a room with a compass. Write down the degree number for the door. Write down the number for the window. Write down the number for a table. Then tell a friend what you found out.

Outro

A compass uses letters and degree numbers to give exact directions. Science is amazing! Keep asking questions! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!