Which statement best describes the order in which fixes should be taken?

• A. By whichever bearing or range is changing fastest.
• B. Bearing: off the beam, then the bow/stern
• C. Range: off the bow/stern, then the beam
• D. At regular hourly intervals

Answer: (A)

Take fixes in the order of how fast the data are changing. When you have multiple bearings or ranges to work with, the observation that is changing most rapidly contains the freshest information about your movement. Recording fixes in that order keeps the running plot closest to your actual position and reduces the error that comes from waiting to observe data that are less informative at that moment. This is preferable to sticking to a fixed time interval or a rigid sequence like “take the bearing off the beam first, then the bow/stern,” which may waste time or ignore how quickly your situation is evolving. If a bearing or a range is moving quickly as you turn or speed up, capturing that fast-changing datum first gives a more accurate, timely fix.