What does the Declination Diagram indicate on maps?

What does the Declination Diagram indicate on maps?

• A. The angular relationships of true north, grid north, and magnetic north
• B. The scale of the map
• C. The outline of political boundaries
• D. The elevation profile

Answer: (A)

The diagram shows how different north references relate to each other on a map. It displays true north (the geographic north), grid north (the direction of the map’s grid lines), and magnetic north (where a compass points), along with the angles between them. The important piece is the magnetic declination—the angle between true north and magnetic north—and, at times, the difference between grid north and true north (grid variation) or between grid north and magnetic north. Knowing these angles lets you convert bearings between the map (grid) and a compass reading so you can navigate accurately. This diagram isn’t about map scale, political boundaries, or elevation profiles, which is why those features aren’t shown here.

The diagram shows how different north references relate to each other on a map. It displays true north (the geographic north), grid north (the direction of the map’s grid lines), and magnetic north (where a compass points), along with the angles between them. The important piece is the magnetic declination—the angle between true north and magnetic north—and, at times, the difference between grid north and true north (grid variation) or between grid north and magnetic north. Knowing these angles lets you convert bearings between the map (grid) and a compass reading so you can navigate accurately. This diagram isn’t about map scale, political boundaries, or elevation profiles, which is why those features aren’t shown here.