Bearing and distance

A bearing and distance is one course of a boundary: a direction and a length, such as "N 45°30'15" E, 210.00 feet." The bearing gives the direction as an angle east or west of north or south (the quadrant system), and the distance gives the length of the line in that direction.

Curved boundaries are called differently: a curve call carries a radius, an arc length, and typically a chord bearing and distance, plus whether the curve is tangent to the previous course. Plats often move these values into line and curve tables, so a call on the drawing reads "L23" or "C7" and the actual numbers live in the table.

Plotting course after course, tip-to-tail from the point of beginning, is how a description becomes linework - and how errors in individual calls become visible as a boundary that fails to close.

Related: Metes and bounds to linework