What defines a great circle?

A.  A curved line drawn on a Mercator Chart

B.  A course line that inscribes a loxodromic curve

C.  The shortest distance between any two points on the earth

D.  The smallest circle that can be drawn on the face of a sphere

What is a characteristic of a rhumb line?

A.  It is the shortest distance between two points on the Earth.

B.  It plots as a straight line on a Lambert conformal chart.

C.  It intersects each meridian at the same angle.

D.  The course angle constantly changes to form the loxodromic curve.

What is the major advantage of a rhumb line track?

 A.  The vessel can steam on a constant heading (disregarding wind, current, etc.).

B.  The rhumb line is the shortest distance between the arrival and departure points. 

C.  It is easily plotted on a gnomonic chart for comparison with a great circle course.

D.  It approximates a great circle on east-west courses in high latitudes.

For navigational purposes, each great circle on the Earth has a length of __________.

A. 3,600 miles

B. 5,400 miles

C. 12,500 miles

D. 21,600 miles

The survey information upon which a chart is based is found

A. at the top center of the next line

B. near the chart title

C. at the lower left corner

D. at any convenient location

On a Mercator chart, 1 nautical mile is equal to __________.

A.  1 minute of longitude

B.  1 degree of longitude

C.  1 minute of latitude

D.  1 degree of latitude

What area of the earth cannot be shown on a standard Mercator chart?

A.  Equator

B.  Areas including both North and South latitudes

C.  North and South Poles

D.  A narrow band along the central meridian

Which statement is TRUE concerning a Mercator projection?

A. Degrees of longitude decrease in length as latitude increases.

B. The length of the meridians is increased to provide for equal expansion in all directions.

C. The mileage between the meridians is increased as the latitude increases.

D.  All of the above.

A Mercator chart is a __________.

A. cylindrical projection

B. simple conic projection

C. polyconic projection

D. rectangular projection

A. cylindrical projection

Red lights may appear on

Select one:

a. Yellow buoys

b. Spherical buoys

c. Horizontally banded buoys

d. Vertically stripped buoys

What daymark shape is used in the lateral system?

Select one:

a. Pentagon

b. Triangle

c. Semicircle

d. Diamond

When you are steering on a pair of range lights and find the upper light is above the lower light you should...

Select one:

a. Come right

b. Continue on present course

c. Come left

d. Wait until the lights are no longer in a vertical line

What are the characteristics of an isophase light?

Select one:

a. 2 sec. Flash, 5 sec eclipse

b. 1 sec. Flash, 1 sec. Eclipse

c. 4 sec. Flash, 2 sec. Eclipse, 3 sec. Flash, 2 sec. eclipse

d. 6 sec. Flash, 3 sec. Eclipse

Which buoy may be even numbered?

Select one:

a. Lighted green buoy

b. Unlighted nun buoy

c. Special Purpose buoy

d. Mid-channel buoy

The time required for a lighted aid to complete a full cycle of light changes is called its...

Select one:

a. Function

b. Period

c. Set

d. Frequency

Chart legends printed in capital letters show that the associated landmark is...

Select one:

a. A government facility or station

b. Conspicuous

c. A radio transmitter

d. Inconspicuous

On entering from seaward, a starboard side daymark will...

Select one:

a. Be square in shape

b. Show a fixed red light if lighted

c. Show a Morse (A) white light

d. Have an even number if numbered

Which navigational mark may only be lettered?

Select one:

a. An unlighted green, can buoy

b. A red buoy

c. A port side dayshape

d. A spherical buoy

A triangular daymark would be colored...

Select one:

a. Red and white

b. Red

c. Green and white

d. Green

The light rhythm of Morse (A) is shown on...

Select one:

a. Preferred-channel buoys

b. Special marks

c. Safe water buoys

d. Starboard or port-side buoys

Under the IALA-B Buoyage System, a conical buoy will be...

Select one:

a. Left to port when entering from seaward

b. identified by a letter

c. Red in color

d. Numbered with an odd number

A nun buoy will ____________________.

Select one:

a. be left to port when entering from seaward

b. be green in color

c. be cylindrical in shape

d. have an even number

What are the colors of a mid-channel daymark?

Select one:

a. Green and white

b. Red and white

c. Black and red

d. Green and yellow

What feature(s) of a daymark is (are) used to identify the beacon upon which it is mounted?

Select one:

a. Size

b. Signal characteristics

c. Color and shape

d. Method of construction

Buoys are marked with reflective material to assist in their detection by search light. Which statement is true?

Select one:

a. A preferred-channel buoy displays either red or green reflective material to agree with the top band of color

b. All reflective material is white because it is the most visible at night

c. A safe-water buoy will display red and white vertical stripes of reflective material

d. A special-purpose mark will display either red or green reflective material to agree with its shape

 a. A preferred-channel buoy displays either red or green reflective material to agree with the top band of color

The annual change for variation for an area can be found in...

Select one:

a. The center of the compass rose on a chart of the area

b. The handbook for Magnetic Compass Adjustment, Pub 226

c. The compass deviation table

d. Variation does not change

a. The center of the compass rose on a chart of the area

Which buoy may be odd numbered?

Select one:

a. A red buoy

b. Unlighted can buoy

c. A spherical buoy

d. A yellow buoy

Some lights used as aids to marine navigation have a red sector to indicate a danger area. The limits of a colored sector of a light listed in the light list in which of the following manners?

Select one:

a. Geographic positions outlining the area of the sector

b. True bearings as observed from the light towards the ship

c. An outline of  the area of the sector

d. True bearings as observed from the ship toward the light

In the U.S. Aids to Navigation System, red and green horizontally banded buoys mark...

Select one:

a. Fishing grounds

b. Channels for shallow draft vessels

c. Junctions or bifurcation

d. General anchorage areas

If the compass heading and the magnetic heading are the same, then __________________.

Select one:

a. there is something wrong with the compass

b. the deviation has been offset by the variation

c. There is no deviation on that heading

d. the compass is being influenced by nearby metals

Variation is not constant; it is different with every change in __________.

Select one:

a. speed

b. cargo

c. vessel heading

d. geographic location

Compass error is equal to the ___________________.

Select one:

a. difference between true and magnetic compass

b. variation plus compass course

c. deviation minus variation

d. total effect of variation and deviation taken together

In applying variation to a true course to obtain a magnetic course ___________________.

Select one:

a. you should subtract east and subtract west

b. you should add east and add west

c. you should add north and subtract south

d. you should subtract east and add west

Magnetic heading differs from compass heading by ________________.

Select one:

a. Compass error

b. True Heading

c. Deviation

d. Variation

The difference in degrees between true north and magnetic north is called ____________________.

Select one:

a. Deviation

b. PSC

c. Drift

d. Variation

Deviation is not constant; it is different with every change in...

Select one:

a. Geographic location

b. Speed

c. Vessel heading

d. Cargo

The lubber's line on a magnetic compass indicates__________.

Select one:

a. a relative bearing taken with an azimuth circle

b. compass north

c. magnetic north

d. the direction in which the boat's bow is heading.

The most important feature of the material used for making the binnacle of a standard magnetic compass is that it is__________.

Select one:

a. nonmagnetic

b. weatherproof

c. capable of being permanently affixed to the vessel

d. corrosion resistant

To find a magnetic compass course from a true course you must apply ________________________.

Select one:

a. Deviation

b. Variation

c. Magnetic anomalies (local disturbances)

d. Deviation and variation

If a magnetic compass is not affected by any magnetic field other than the earth's, which statement is true?

Select one:

a. Compass error and variation are equal

b. There will be no compass error

c. Compass north will be true north

d. Variation will equal deviation

In going from magnetic to true, you must _______________________.

Select one:

a. subtract deviation and add variation

b. add easterly variation or subtract westerly variation

c. multiply the easterly deviation by the westerly variation

d. subtract westerly variation or add easterly compass error

Deviation is caused by ____________________.

Select one:

a. Nearby magnetic land masses or mineral deposits

b. Magnetic influence inherent to that particular vessel

c. The magnetic lines of force not coinciding with the lines of longitude

d. Changes in the earth's magnetic field

If the magnetic heading is greater than the compass heading, the deviation is __________________.

Select one:

 a. South

 b. East

 c. North

d. West

b. East

As a vessel changes course to starboard, the compass card in a magnetic compass ____________.

Select one:

a. turns counterclockwise to port

b. remains aligned with compass north

c. first turns to starboard then counterclockwise to port

d. also turns to starboard

The permanent magnetism of a vessel may change in strength due to __________.

A.  major structural repair

B.  the nature of the cargo being carried

C.  changes in heading

D.  All of the above

The heading of a vessel is indicated by what part of the compass?

A.  Lubber’s line

B.  Card

C.  Needle

D.  Gimbals

Error may be introduced into a magnetic compass by __________.

A.  making a structural change to the vessel

B.  a short circuit near the compass

C.  belt buckles

D.  All of the above

D.  All of the above