What are the points on a copmpass in degrees like north is 360 degrees?

Question

What are the points on a copmpass in degrees like north is 360 degrees?

Answer 1

North is 0 or360 degrees.  East is 90 degrees.  South is 180 degrees.  West is 270.  This method is called the azimuth method and uses 360 around a circle, going clockwise from north.  

A point half way between say north and east, is 45 degrees and so on.

Older compasses only use 90 degrees  (the quadrant system)and give a starting point of north or south  and then the number of degrees toward  a second cardinal point (east or west) of it.  North 45 degrees east is 45 degrees.  But south 45 degrees west is 225 degree in the azimuth system (it is 225 degrees clockwise away from north).  North 45 degrees west  is 315 degrees in the azimuth system.

Get a compass a play around with it, it becomes clear quickly.  It may be hard to find a working quadrant compass nowadays.  GPS is pushing compasses out of the market too.  Many geologists and topographers only use compasses when they are out of reach of the GPS signals, when underground.

Answer 2

Depends on if you're doing heading or bearing.

Bearing is based off of north either true or magnetic north. each Direction is 90 degrees apart with sub directions at 45 degrees each so

North 0, 360      NE 45

East 90              SE 135

South 180          SW 225

West 270           NW 315

Heading is based on how many degrees off you are from any of the above  like 23 degrees SW

Answer 3

East=90 degrees, South=180 degrees, West=270 degrees. North can be 360 or 0