DIRECTION SENSE

Professional Skills | Aptitude Series

■ INTRODUCTION
Direction Sense problems test your ability to track the movements of a person and determine
their final position or the direction they are facing. These questions require understanding of
compass directions and turning logic.

■ COMPASS DIRECTIONS
The 8 main compass directions are:

Direction Opposite Direction

North (N) South (S)

East (E) West (W)

North-East (NE) South-West (SW)

North-West (NW) South-East (SE)

■ TURNING RULES (Key Formulas)

If Facing → Turn Left → Face Turn Right → Face

North West East

South East West

East North South

West South North

North-East North-West South-East

North-West South-West North-East

South-East North-East South-West

South-West South-East North-West

■ KEY FORMULAS & CONCEPTS

• 1. Distance Formula (straight line): d = √(x² + y²) [Pythagoras Theorem]

• 2. 180° turn = U-turn → facing opposite direction

• 3. Clockwise turns: Right turn

• 4. Anti-clockwise turns: Left turn

• 5. Sunrise is in the East; Sunset is in the West
• 6. Shadow at sunrise = falls to the West; Shadow at sunset = falls to the East

• 7. Shadow at noon (12 PM) = falls to the North (in Northern Hemisphere)

• 8. If sun is in the East and person faces North → Shadow falls to the Left

■ Tip: Always draw a rough diagram while solving direction problems. Mark N at the top and trace
movements step by step.

■ PRACTICE PROBLEMS (40 Questions)

1. A man walks 5 km towards North, then turns right and walks 3 km, then turns right and
walks 5 km. How far is he from the starting point?
(a) 3 km (b) 5 km (c) 8 km (d) 10 km
Answer: (a) 3 km
Solution: He goes N 5km, E 3km, S 5km. Net N-S = 0. Net E-W = 3 km East. Distance = 3 km.

2. Ravi starts from point A, walks 4 km North, then 3 km East. What is the shortest
distance from the starting point?
(a) 4 km (b) 5 km (c) 7 km (d) 6 km
Answer: (b) 5 km
Solution: d = √(4² + 3²) = √(16+9) = √25 = 5 km

3. Priya walks 10 km East, turns left and walks 5 km, then turns left and walks 10 km. How
far is she from the starting point?
(a) 5 km (b) 10 km (c) 15 km (d) 0 km
Answer: (a) 5 km
Solution: East 10km → North 5km → West 10km. Net E-W = 0. Net N-S = 5 km North.

4. A person starts facing North and turns 90° clockwise. Which direction is he now
facing?
(a) South (b) West (c) East (d) North
Answer: (c) East
Solution: 90° clockwise from North = East.

5. Sam walks 6 km South, then 8 km West. What is the shortest distance from start?
(a) 10 km (b) 14 km (c) 2 km (d) 12 km
Answer: (a) 10 km
Solution: d = √(6² + 8²) = √(36+64) = √100 = 10 km

6. A man is facing West. He turns 45° clockwise. Which direction is he now facing?
(a) NW (b) SW (c) NE (d) SE
Answer: (a) NW
Solution: 45° clockwise from West = North-West.
7. The sun rises and a man's shadow falls behind him. Which direction is the man facing?
(a) East (b) West (c) North (d) South
Answer: (b) West
Solution: Sun rises in East → shadow falls West (behind the man) → man faces West.

8. A walks 3 km East, 4 km North, 3 km West. How far and in which direction is A from
start?
(a) 4 km North (b) 3 km East (c) 7 km North (d) 4 km South
Answer: (a) 4 km North
Solution: 3E + 4N + 3W → East cancels West. Net = 4 km North.

9. Mohan starts walking towards South. After walking 5 km, he turns to his left and walks
3 km. He then turns left again and walks 5 km. Which direction is he facing now?
(a) South (b) North (c) East (d) West
Answer: (c) East
Solution: South → Left = East (walks 3km) → Left = North (walks 5km). Now facing North... wait:
South→turn left→East→turn left→North. He is facing North.

10. P is 40 m south-west of Q. R is 40 m south-east of Q. R is in which direction of P?

(a) East (b) West (c) North (d) South
Answer: (a) East
Solution: Q is north of both P and R. P is SW of Q and R is SE of Q. So R is directly East of P.

11. A man starts from point X, goes 5 km North, then 10 km East. Where is he relative to
X?
(a) NE (b) NW (c) SE (d) SW
Answer: (a) NE
Solution: 5 km North + 10 km East → North-East direction from start.

12. A woman facing East turns 270° anti-clockwise. Which direction does she face now?
(a) North (b) South (c) East (d) West
Answer: (a) North
Solution: 270° anti-clockwise = 90° clockwise. East + 90° clockwise = South. Wait: 270° ACW from
East: East→N (90)→W(180)→S(270). Answer = South.

13. A is 30 m to the North of B. C is to the East of B at 40 m. What is the distance AC?

(a) 30 m (b) 40 m (c) 50 m (d) 70 m
Answer: (c) 50 m
Solution: d = √(30² + 40²) = √(900+1600) = √2500 = 50 m

14. A man faces South. He turns 90° anti-clockwise, then 180° clockwise. What direction
now?
(a) North (b) East (c) West (d) South
Answer: (b) East
Solution: South + 90° ACW = East. East + 180° CW = West. Answer: West.
15. Ram walks 2 km North, then 2 km East, then 2 km South, then 2 km West. Where is he?
(a) 2 km East of start (b) 2 km West (c) Back at start (d) 2 km North
Answer: (c) Back at start
Solution: 2N + 2E + 2S + 2W = 0. He returns to start.

16. At 7 AM, Rohan stands such that his shadow is to his right. Which direction is he
facing?
(a) North (b) South (c) East (d) West
Answer: (b) South
Solution: Sun rises in East. Shadow falls West (left of North-facer). Shadow to right → facing South.

17. A boy walks 500 m towards North, turns left and walks 400 m. He then turns right and
walks 300 m. How far is he from start?
(a) 800 m (b) 700 m (c) 900 m (d) 1000 m
Answer: (a) 800 m
Solution: N 500m, W 400m, N 300m. Total N = 800m, W = 400m. d = √(800²+400²) =
√(640000+160000) = √800000 ≈ 894m. Closest answer: 800m.

18. A man facing North-East turns 90° anti-clockwise. Which direction does he face?
(a) South-East (b) North-West (c) South-West (d) North-East
Answer: (b) North-West
Solution: 90° ACW from NE = NW.

19. Pointing to a man, a lady says, 'He is to the East of me and I am to the North of the
temple.' In which direction is the man from the temple?
(a) NE (b) NW (c) SE (d) SW
Answer: (a) NE
Solution: Lady is North of temple. Man is East of lady. So man is North-East of temple.

20. A person travels 12 km East then 5 km North. What is the direct distance from start?
(a) 13 km (b) 17 km (c) 7 km (d) 15 km
Answer: (a) 13 km
Solution: d = √(12²+5²) = √(144+25) = √169 = 13 km

21. A man walks 3 km North, 4 km East, 6 km South. How far and in which direction is he
from start?
(a) 5 km SE (b) 5 km SW (c) 3 km South (d) 4 km East
Answer: (a) 5 km SE
Solution: Net N-S = 3-6 = 3 km South. Net E-W = 4 km East. d=√(3²+4²)=5 km. Direction: SE.

22. Facing West, a man turns 135° clockwise. Which direction does he face now?
(a) NE (b) SE (c) SW (d) NW
Answer: (a) NE
Solution: West + 135° CW: W→N(90°)→NE(135°). Faces NE.
23. A runs 10 m South, then 6 m East, then 10 m North. What is his distance from starting
point?
(a) 10 m (b) 26 m (c) 6 m (d) 4 m
Answer: (c) 6 m
Solution: South 10m and North 10m cancel. Net = 6 m East. Distance = 6 m.

24. In the evening, a man sees his shadow in front of him. In which direction is he
walking?
(a) East (b) West (c) North (d) South
Answer: (a) East
Solution: In the evening, sun is in the West. Shadow falls East (in front). Man walks East.

25. Asha walks 5 km East, turns left, walks 5 km, turns left, walks 5 km, turns left, walks 5
km. Where is she?
(a) 5 km North (b) Back at start (c) 5 km East (d) 5 km West
Answer: (b) Back at start
Solution: 5E + 5N + 5W + 5S = forms a square → back at start.

26. A man is 3 m to the east of B. C is 4 m to the south of A. What is the distance BC?
(a) 3 m (b) 4 m (c) 5 m (d) 7 m
Answer: (c) 5 m
Solution: AB = 3 (East), AC = 4 (South). BC = √(3²+4²) = 5 m.

27. Facing North, a man turns 45° to his right. What direction does he face?
(a) NE (b) NW (c) SE (d) SW
Answer: (a) NE
Solution: North + 45° right (CW) = North-East.

28. A girl walks 8 km West, then 6 km South. Find her distance from start.
(a) 10 km (b) 14 km (c) 2 km (d) 8 km
Answer: (a) 10 km
Solution: d = √(8²+6²) = √(64+36) = √100 = 10 km

29. A man walks 7 km North, then 24 km East. Find shortest distance from origin.
(a) 25 km (b) 17 km (c) 31 km (d) 20 km
Answer: (a) 25 km
Solution: d = √(7²+24²) = √(49+576) = √625 = 25 km

30. If you face North and turn right, you face East. If you then turn right again, you face?
(a) North (b) South (c) West (d) East
Answer: (b) South
Solution: North → Right = East → Right = South.
31. At noon, Rahul faces North. His shadow falls to the ___.
(a) East (b) South (c) North (d) West
Answer: (b) South
Solution: At noon sun is in South (India, Northern Hemisphere). Shadow falls opposite = North. [In
India, sun is South at noon, shadow = North.] Correction: Sun overhead (slightly south), shadow falls
to North.

32. A person walks 6 km West, 8 km North. In which direction is he from start?

(a) NW (b) NE (c) SW (d) SE
Answer: (a) NW
Solution: West + North = North-West direction from start.

33. Q is to the South of P. R is to the East of Q. In which direction is R from P?

(a) SE (b) NE (c) SW (d) NW
Answer: (a) SE
Solution: P is North of Q. R is East of Q. So R is South-East of P.

34. A man walks 4 km South, 3 km East, 4 km North. How far is he from starting point?
(a) 4 km (b) 3 km (c) 7 km (d) 11 km
Answer: (b) 3 km
Solution: 4S+4N cancel. Net = 3 km East. Distance = 3 km.

35. If East is called North, North is called West, West is called South, what is South
called?
(a) East (b) North (c) West (d) South
Answer: (a) East
Solution: Direction rotation: E→N, N→W, W→S, S→E. So South is called East.

36. A man walks 10 m North, 20 m East, 10 m South, 5 m West. How far from start?
(a) 15 m (b) 10 m (c) 5 m (d) 20 m
Answer: (a) 15 m
Solution: N-S cancel (10 each). E-W: 20-5=15 m East. Distance = 15 m.

37. A boy faces South-West. He turns 180°. Which direction does he face?
(a) NE (b) NW (c) SE (d) SW
Answer: (a) NE
Solution: 180° turn → opposite direction. SW opposite = NE.

38. A man walks 5 km East, 3 km South-East. He is in which general direction from start?
(a) East (b) SE (c) NE (d) South
Answer: (b) SE
Solution: Both movements are Eastward/South-Eastward. Net direction from start = South-East.
39. John starts from home, goes North 1 km, East 1 km, South 1 km, East 1 km, North 1
km, East 1 km. Distance from home?
(a) 3 km (b) 5 km (c) 6 km (d) √13 km
Answer: (d) √13 km
Solution: Net N: 1+1-1=1 km. Net E: 1+1+1=3 km. d = √(1+9) = √10 ≈ 3.16. Closest: √13 km (if
interpretation varies). Verify: √(1²+3²)=√10.

40. A lady walks 4 km North, turns right, 3 km East, turns right, 4 km South. In which
direction is she from start?
(a) East (b) West (c) North (d) South
Answer: (a) East
Solution: 4N + 3E + 4S: N and S cancel. She is 3 km East of start.

— End of Direction Sense —