Variation is the difference between which two north references?

Variation is the difference between which two north references?

• A. Geographic North and Magnetic North
• B. True North and Magnetic North
• C. True North and Geographic North
• D. Magnetic North and False North

Answer: (B)

Variation is the angular difference between True North and Magnetic North. True North points toward the geographic North Pole, while Magnetic North is where the compass tends to point due to Earth's magnetic field. This difference exists because the magnetic poles are not aligned with the geographic poles and the field changes over time. On charts, variation is shown as east or west and is used to convert between true bearings and magnetic bearings. So, the two north references involved are True North and Magnetic North.

Variation is the angular difference between True North and Magnetic North. True North points toward the geographic North Pole, while Magnetic North is where the compass tends to point due to Earth's magnetic field. This difference exists because the magnetic poles are not aligned with the geographic poles and the field changes over time. On charts, variation is shown as east or west and is used to convert between true bearings and magnetic bearings. So, the two north references involved are True North and Magnetic North.