Why were Booth and Herold off course?

• A. Because they misunderstood a map that showed north.
• B. Because the compass read north and they were supposed to head south.
• C. Because they were following a guide who misled them.
• D. Because a storm forced them to change direction.

Answer: (B)

The main idea is how navigation works when using a compass. Booth and Herold were trying to move south toward safety, but a compass points to magnetic north, not to true geographic north. If they followed the compass without adjusting for this difference, they would end up heading north instead of south. That mismatch between the direction the compass indicated and the actual southern route they needed is why they went off course. The other possibilities—misreading a map, being misled by a guide, or a storm—don’t fit the specific navigation issue described, which centers on the compass directing them the wrong way.