9
Practical work: directions, azimuth, distance and scale
Textbook: §9, pp. 32–33
GoalCarry out practical tasks on directions, azimuth, distance and scale.
New words
directions of the horizon · ufq tomonlariwalking on an azimuth · azimut bo‘yicha yurishstep length · qadam uzunligiscale · masshtab
Explanation
In this practical lesson we use what we learned earlier. To find directions we first find north (compass, Pole Star or the shortest shadow at midday) and then find the other directions from the right, left and back. When walking on an azimuth, at each leg we set the compass to north again and note the direction and distance (number of steps). Number of steps = distance : step length. To draw a route we choose a scale: for example at 1 : 2000, 100 m = 10 000 cm : 2000 = 5 cm. All practical work is done with a teacher or adult in a place safe from traffic.
Worked examples
From point A a child walks 120 m at azimuth 45° (north-east). To return to A he must walk 120 m in the opposite direction – at azimuth 45° + 180° = 225° (south-west).
If a step is 50 cm, a distance of 30 m needs 3000 : 50 = 60 steps.
Class activity
“Route game”: under adult supervision in the school yard, groups follow a card with azimuths and numbers of steps to find a hidden marker; keep the compass away from metal objects.
Practice
1
You face east. On which sides of you are north, south and west?
North is on your left, south on your right, west behind you.
2
A child walks 200 m at azimuth 90° and then 200 m at 180° from A. In which general direction must he go to return to A (approximate azimuth)?
To the north-west (azimuth 315°), because A is now to his north-west.
3
At a scale of 1 : 2000, how many centimetres does a 160 m distance take on a drawing?
8
4
At 5 km per hour, in how many minutes does a walker cover 4 km?
48