Your vessel receives a distress call from a vessel reporting her position at LAT 5°24'N, LONG 31°16'W. Your position is LAT 2°39'S, LONG 39°24'W. Determine the distance from your vessel to the vessel in distress by Mercator sailing.

Question

Your vessel receives a distress call from a vessel reporting her position at LAT 5&deg;24'N, LONG 31&deg;16'W. Your position is LAT 2&deg;39'S, LONG 39&deg;24'W. Determine the distance from your vessel to the vessel in distress by Mercator sailing.

Accepted Answer

Option C: 688.7 miles. Mercator sailing is used to find the distance between two points by converting the difference in latitude and meridional parts into a rhumb line distance. Using the formula Distance = DLat / cos(Course) or the Pythagorean relationship with DMP, the calculated distance between these coordinates is 688.7 miles.

Your vessel receives a distress call from a vessel reporting her position at LAT 5&deg;24'N, LONG 31&deg;16'W. Your position is LAT 2&deg;39'S, LONG 39&deg;24'W. Determine the distance from your vessel to the vessel in distress by Mercator sailing.

Your vessel receives a distress call from a vessel reporting her position at LAT 5°24'N, LONG 31°16'W. Your position is LAT 2°39'S, LONG 39°24'W. Determine the distance from your vessel to the vessel in distress by Mercator sailing.