Directional terminology — in plane surveying, the bearing of a line is also referred to as which of the following?

Introduction / Context:
Surveyors use several terms to describe the direction of a line relative to a reference meridian. While nuances exist among systems, many exam questions equate the general term “bearing” with “azimuth” when measured from a meridian over a 0°–360° range. Clarifying these definitions avoids confusion when reading field notes or plotting directions.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Bearing: direction of a line with respect to a reference meridian.
• Azimuth: angle measured clockwise from a reference meridian, typically 0°–360°.
• Reduced bearing (RB): quadrant bearing measured from N/S toward E/W.

Concept / Approach:

In many surveying contexts, the term “bearing” is used broadly, and when it is a whole-circle value from north (0°–360°), it is synonymous with azimuth. Magnetic bearing and true bearing specify which meridian (magnetic or true) is used; they still may be expressed as azimuths or as reduced bearings depending on convention. Since the question asks for an alternate name for the bearing of a line in a general sense, “azimuth” is the best match.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Textbooks often state: “Azimuth is the whole-circle bearing of a line,” confirming the equivalence when the bearing is not reduced to quadrants.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

Magnetic bearing / true bearing — specify reference meridian type, not an alternate name.
Reduced bearing — a different notation (quadrantal), not synonymous with whole-circle bearing.

Common Pitfalls:

Mixing RB and WCB systems; forgetting to convert when combining datasets from different notations.

Final Answer:

azimuth