Which term is the exact position determined by bearings?

• A. Fix
• B. Dead reckoning
• C. Estimated position
• D. Soundings on chart

Answer: (A)

A fix is the exact position determined by bearings. When you take bearings to at least two known landmarks, each bearing becomes a line of position that passes through the landmark on the chart. The point where those lines intersect is your precise location, or fix. This relies on angular information to pin down where you are on the map. If you only have one bearing, you get a single line rather than a unique point, so you can’t determine your exact position yet. Dead reckoning, by contrast, is an estimate based on last known position, course, speed, and time; it accumulates error over time. An estimated position is the current location guessed from DR, and soundings on a chart provide depth information, not your exact position.