If a person on a compass course takes a bearing of 356 degrees magnetic into the woods, what should their back bearing be when heading out?

To determine the back bearing from a compass course, you must add or subtract 180 degrees from the original bearing. In this case, the original bearing is 356 degrees.

When you add 180 degrees to the bearing of 356, you exceed the 360-degree mark, which is the maximum on a compass. Therefore, you subtract 360 from the result to find the equivalent bearing. The calculation is as follows:

356 degrees + 180 degrees = 536 degrees

536 degrees - 360 degrees = 176 degrees

This means the back bearing, when heading out, would be 176 degrees. This concept is crucial in navigation as understanding how to reverse a bearing allows a person to return to their original starting point effectively.

Options that suggest 356 degrees, 180 degrees, or 90 degrees do not correctly represent the calculated back bearing from the original course of 356 degrees.