When using a city map, which statement best describes grid north and true north, and which should you align to by default?

When using a city map, which statement best describes grid north and true north, and which should you align to by default?

• A. Grid north is geographic north and must be used always.
• B. True north is the map's reference; align to it unless you adjust declination.
• C. You always align to grid north and never to true north.
• D. Grid north is the map's reference; align to grid north unless declination requires true north.

Answer: (D)

When you read a city map, the directions on the map are set by the grid lines you see drawn across the page. That grid north is the reference the map uses, not geographic north itself. True north—geographic north at the Earth's axis—is a separate direction. The practical approach is to orient the map to grid north by default because everything on the map (sections, bearings, and coordinates) lines up with those grid lines. If your navigation task requires bearings relative to true north, you adjust for the difference between grid north and true north (the declination) and align accordingly. So the correct approach is to use grid north as the map’s reference and switch to true north only when the situation calls for it due to declination.

When you read a city map, the directions on the map are set by the grid lines you see drawn across the page. That grid north is the reference the map uses, not geographic north itself. True north—geographic north at the Earth's axis—is a separate direction. The practical approach is to orient the map to grid north by default because everything on the map (sections, bearings, and coordinates) lines up with those grid lines. If your navigation task requires bearings relative to true north, you adjust for the difference between grid north and true north (the declination) and align accordingly. So the correct approach is to use grid north as the map’s reference and switch to true north only when the situation calls for it due to declination.