# Rose Diagrams- help

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-diagrams-help/397091>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 22, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-diagrams-help/397091 "2007-03-22T22:28:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-diagrams-help/397091/1 "2007-03-22T22:28:43Z")

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I need to create a rose diagram for historical directional groundwater flow. Unfortunately our company does not have a software program that does it for you.

I have not done one by hand in oh… forever.

Does anyone have any idea on how to create one by hand?

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**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2007, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-diagrams-help/397091/2 "2007-03-23T17:10:23Z")

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Convert direction and magnitude to x and y as follows - x - magnitude \* sin(direction), y = magnitude\*cos(direction). I assume up is the Y axis and direction = 0, the way cartographers use it. Reverse sin and cos if you’re using engineering directions.

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**Author:** ![LVgeogeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b19c9b/32.png) [@LVgeogeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVgeogeek)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2007, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rose-diagrams-help/397091/3 "2007-03-24T02:47:21Z")

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thanks!

I did some reading up, and this also helps 🙂