Methods for defining waypoints entered by the crew into the FMC database include

• A. Lat and long, place with bearing/dist, place with bearing and place with bearing
• B. Lat and long only
• C. Place with bearing and distance only
• D. Bearing-only with distance

Answer: (A)

Entering a waypoint into the FMC can be done either with precise coordinates or by using a reference point and a defined direction and distance. Providing latitude and longitude gives an exact location that doesn’t depend on any other fix. In contrast, you can create a new waypoint by selecting a known place (a reference fix) and specifying a bearing from that point, with or without a distance, to locate the new point along that line. This relative method is useful when you don’t have exact coordinates but know the direction (bearing) from a known location and, if needed, how far along that bearing to go.

That combination—exact coordinates along with several bearing-based methods from a reference place—captures all the typical ways pilots input user-defined waypoints into the FMC, which is why it’s the best answer. The other options omit one of these entry methods, making them incomplete.