What course is a vessel on if her heading is WNW?

When determining the course a vessel is on based on its heading of WNW (West-Northwest), it's important to understand how compass headings are derived. The cardinal directions are divided into 360 degrees, with North at 0 degrees, East at 90 degrees, South at 180 degrees, and West at 270 degrees.

West-Northwest is located halfway between West (270 degrees) and Northwest (315 degrees). To find the exact degrees for WNW, you take the average of these two headings. The calculation would be 270 degrees (West) + 45 degrees (the halfway point since Northwest is the next quarter point) = 315 degrees. Thus, the direction of WNW corresponds to a heading of 292.5 degrees.

Choosing 292.5 degrees signifies that the vessel is directed slightly more towards the west than directly at the northwest point, aligning perfectly with the WNW definition.

The other options, while close to the surrounding directions, do not match the specific angle of WNW accurately. The essential concept is recognizing how each direction corresponds to a degree on the compass, allowing for accurate maritime navigation.