The standard magnetic compass heading differs from the true heading by __________.
Official USCG Answer & Rule Citation
Correct Answer: Option B — compass error
Compass error is the total angular difference between the true meridian and the compass card axis. It accounts for both variation (geographic) and deviation (vessel-specific). This is the standard definition used in navigation to convert compass headings to true headings, as per Bowditch, Volume I.
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