A reading of 000º on the compass card should point toward which North?

• A. True North
• B. Geographic North
• C. Relative North
• D. Magnetic North

Answer: (D)

The main idea is that a compass reads magnetic north. The compass card is tied to the Earth's magnetic field, and the needle points toward Magnetic North. So a reading of 000° on the card indicates Magnetic North.

True North is geographic north—the direction to the North Pole on the globe—and can differ from Magnetic North by magnetic variation that varies by location and over time. Relative North isn’t a standard reference for a raw compass reading, so it doesn’t define where a 000° heading points.