# Azimuth vs Yaw? [closed]

What is the difference between these two terms, or are they completely synonymous? I have frequently seen either used in connection with pitch and roll.

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## closed as off topic by Ittay Weiss, Jonathan Christensen, Paul, ncmathsadist, Antonio VargasFeb 7 '13 at 3:41

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are you sure you are in the right place for this question? Did you at all bother to google these terms and read the Wiki articles on them? –  Ittay Weiss Feb 7 '13 at 2:17
Yes, a few times, and with no luck at all. And yes, I am pretty certain there is no more relevant place to ask this general question. –  Levi Lindsey Feb 7 '13 at 21:05

## 1 Answer

There are others probably more qualified to speak on this subject than I, but from what I've gleaned from the Wikipedia pages on Azimuth and Yaw:

Azimuth seems to be used to represent an absolute heading, while yaw is a measurement of how much a craft turns from its current orientation.

Thus, if your azimuth went from $90^\circ$ to $184^\circ$, your yaw was $94^\circ$, while your current azimuth is $184^\circ$.

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So yaw is merely change in azimuth? It just seems odd, considering that I know that the corresponding terms for the other axes--pitch and roll--are commonly used both to describe absolute orientation and change of orientation. –  Levi Lindsey Feb 7 '13 at 21:10
I will give a disclaimer that I could be wrong. However, upon reading those wiki articles (and from what else I've read when looking at compass sensors), I see azimuth always referring to absolute heading. Yaw I typically see referring to change in heading: google.com/… –  apnorton Feb 7 '13 at 22:33