Direction Sense Test
There are two primary categories of direction sense,
particularly in the context of logical reasoning and aptitude
testing: geographical directions and relative directions. These
are used in different types of problems, such as determining a
final direction, calculating displacement, or solving shadow-
based puzzles.
Geographical directions
These are based on the standard points of a compass.
Cardinal directions: The four main points of a compass:
North, South, East, and West.
Intercardinal (or ordinal) directions: The four
intermediate directions found halfway between the
cardinal points: Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, and
Northwest.
Relative directions
These define location and orientation in relation to an object
or a person's body.
Turns and rotations: Problems involving movement
relative to a person or object's current position.
o Right and left: Turns are typically assumed to be
90° unless otherwise specified.
o Clockwise and anti-clockwise: These refer to turns
made in the same or opposite direction as a clock's
hands, often measured in degrees (e.g., a 45°
clockwise turn).
Up and down: Directions relative to the pull of gravity.
Forward and backward: Directions relative to the front
and back of a person or object.
There are several simple and effective tricks to master
direction sense, especially for logical reasoning questions.
These methods help you quickly orient yourself and track
movements without complex mental mapping.
General orientation tricks
The "Never Eat Soggy Waffles" mnemonic: A classic
way to remember the four cardinal directions in a
clockwise order: North, East, South, West.
Use the sun as a guide: At sunrise (in the east), if you
point your left hand towards the sun, your right hand will
point west, your back will be to the south, and you will
be facing north. This trick can be reversed for sunset.
The left-hand "L": Hold both of your hands out in front
of you with your palms up. The hand that forms a correct
capital "L" shape with the thumb and forefinger is your
left hand.
Direction sense questions in reasoning tests involve tracking a
series of turns and movements.
Cancellation method for final direction-----
This method quickly determines the final direction when the
distance is not required. Consecutive turns in opposite
directions cancel each other out.
1. Two left turns + two right turns: If a person makes two
left turns and two right turns, they will end up facing the
same direction they started from.
2. Left turns cancel right turns: For example, if a person
takes four left turns and two right turns, you can cancel
two pairs, which leaves them effectively having taken
two left turns.
3. 45° rotations also cancel: For questions involving
degrees (e.g., 45° clockwise, 90° anticlockwise), simply
add and subtract the total degrees.
a. Example: A person faces north, turns 45°
clockwise, then 180° clockwise, and finally 270°
anticlockwise.
i. Clockwise total: 45° + 180° = 225°
ii. Net direction: 270° (anticlockwise) - 225°
(clockwise) = 45° anticlockwise.
iii. A person facing north and turning 45°
anticlockwise will end up facing northwest.
Diagram and Pythagoras' theorem for shortest distance
When a question asks for the shortest distance or the final
position relative to the starting point, a simple diagram is
necessary.
1. Draw the path: Use a simple 2D coordinate plane with
North at the top. Represent each movement as a line,
marking the distance.
2. Mark start and end points: Clearly label your starting
and ending positions.
3. Use the Pythagorean theorem: If the movement path
forms a right-angled triangle, you can use the Pythagoras
Theorem find the shortest distance (the hypotenuse).
4. Label intermediate turns: A right turn is always a 90°
clockwise rotation from the direction you are facing,
while a left turn is a 90° anticlockwise rotation.
Quick tips for shadow-based problems
Shadow questions are typically based on the sun's position.
Morning (sunrise): The sun is in the East, so any
shadow will fall towards the West.
Evening (sunset): The sun is in the West, and the
shadow will fall towards the East.
Noon (12:00 PM): The sun is directly overhead, so there
is no shadow.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS-Direction Sense
1. A person walks 10 km north, then turns left and walks 5
km, and finally turns right and walks 8 km. In which direction
is he now from his starting point?
A] North-East
B] North-West
C] South-East
D] South-West
2. A car drives 20 km east, then turns south and drives 15 km,
and finally turns west and drives 10 km. What is the shortest
distance between the starting and ending points?
A] 25 km
B] 13 km
C] 18 km
D] 20 km
3. A man faces north and turns 90° clockwise, then walks 4
km, turns 180°, and walks 6 km. What is his final direction
relative to the starting point?
A] South
B] North
C] East
D] West
4. A cyclist travels 12 km west, turns right and travels 9 km,
then turns left and travels 3 km. What is the total displacement
from the starting point?
A] 15 km
B] 12 km
C] 10 km
D] 18 km
5. A person starts walking south for 8 km, turns left and walks
6 km, then turns left again and walks 8 km. In which direction
is he now from his starting point?
A] East
B] West
C] North
D] South
6. A boat sails 30 km north, then 40 km east, and finally 30
km south. What is the shortest distance back to the starting
point?
A] 40 km
B] 30 km
C] 50 km
D] 20 km
7. A man walks 5 km east, turns 45° clockwise, and walks 7
km. What is his approximate direction from the starting point?
A] North-East
B] South-East
C] North-West
D] South-West
8. A person drives 15 km west, turns right and drives 10 km,
then turns 135° anticlockwise and drives 5 km. In which
direction is he now from his starting point?
A] South-West
B] North-West
C] South-East
D] North-East
9. A hiker walks 6 km south, turns 90° to the right, walks 8
km, and then turns 90° to the left and walks 6 km. What is the
total displacement?
A] 10 km
B] 8 km
C] 14 km
D] 20 km
10. A man starts facing east, turns 270° clockwise, walks 4
km, then turns 90° anticlockwise and walks 3 km. What is his
final direction?
A] North
B] South
C] East
D] West
11. A person travels 10 km north, then 10 km east, and then 10
km south. How far is he from his starting point, and in which
direction?
A] 10 km East
B] 10 km West
C] 20 km North
D] 0 km
12. A woman walks 7 km west, turns 45° clockwise, and
walks 7 km. What is the shortest distance to her starting
point?
A] 7√2 km
B] 10 km
C] 14 km
D] 5 km
13. A car travels 25 km south, then 15 km west, and then 25
km north. What is the direction of the final position relative to
the starting point?
A] East
B] West
C] North
D] South
14. A man faces west, turns 135° clockwise, walks 5 km, and
then turns 45° anticlockwise and walks 5 km. In which
direction is he now?
A] North-East
B] South-West
C] North-West
D] South-East
15. A person walks 12 km east, turns 90° left, walks 9 km, and
then turns 180° and walks 12 km. What is his final position
relative to the starting point?
A] 9 km North
B] 9 km South
C] 12 km West
D] 12 km East
16. A cyclist rides 20 km north, turns 45° right, and rides 20
km. What is the approximate displacement from the starting
point?
A] 28.28 km
B] 20 km
C] 14.14 km
D] 40 km
17. A man walks 8 km south, turns 90° right, walks 6 km, then
turns 90° right again and walks 8 km. What is his final
direction?
A] North
B] South
C] East
D] West
18. A boat sails 50 km east, then 30 km north, and then 50 km
west. What is the shortest distance to the starting point?
A] 30 km
B] 50 km
C] 20 km
D] 80 km
19. A person starts facing south, turns 180°, walks 10 km,
turns 90° clockwise, and walks 10 km. In which direction is
he now from the starting point?
A] North-East
B] South-West
C] North-West
D] South-East
20. A hiker walks 15 km west, turns 45° anticlockwise, and
walks 15 km. What is the approximate shortest distance to the
starting point?
A] 21.21 km
B] 15 km
C] 30 km
D] 10.61 km
21. A man travels 4 km north, turns 90° left, travels 3 km, and
then turns 90° right and travels 4 km. What is his final
position?
A] 3 km West
B] 3 km East
C] 4 km North
D] 4 km South
22. A car drives 18 km east, turns 135° clockwise, and drives
18 km. What is the direction from the starting point?
A] South-East
B] North-West
C] South-West
D] North-East
23. A person walks 10 km south, turns 45° right, walks 10 km,
and then turns 45° left and walks 10 km. What is the total
displacement?
A] 20 km
B] 14.14 km
C] 10 km
D] 28.28 km
24. A man faces east, turns 270° anticlockwise, walks 6 km,
and then turns 90° clockwise and walks 8 km. In which
direction is he now?
A] South
B] North
C] East
D] West
25. A cyclist rides 12 km north, turns 90° right, rides 5 km,
and then turns 180° and rides 12 km. What is the final
position relative to the starting point?
A] 5 km East
B] 5 km West
C] 12 km South
D] 12 km North
26. A boat sails 40 km west, then 30 km south, and then 40
km east. What is the shortest distance to the starting point?
A] 30 km
B] 40 km
C] 50 km
D] 20 km
27. A person walks 7 km east, turns 45° clockwise, and walks
7 km. What is the approximate direction from the starting
point?
A] South-East
B] North-East
C] South-West
D] North-West
28. A man starts facing north, turns 135° anticlockwise, walks
10 km, and then turns 45° clockwise and walks 10 km. What
is his final direction?
A] East
B] West
C] North
D] South
29. A car drives 15 km south, turns 90° left, drives 20 km, and
then turns 90° right and drives 15 km. What is the final
position?
A] 20 km East
B] 20 km West
C] 15 km North
D] 15 km South
30. A hiker walks 9 km west, turns 45° right, and walks 9 km.
What is the approximate shortest distance to the starting
point?
A] 12.73 km
B] 9 km
C] 18 km
D] 6.36 km
31. A person travels 6 km north, turns 90° right, travels 8 km,
and then turns 90° left and travels 6 km. In which direction is
he now from the starting point?
A] East
B] West
C] North
D] South
32. A man walks 10 km east, turns 180°, walks 5 km, and then
turns 90° clockwise and walks 5 km. What is his final
position?
A] 5 km North-East
B] 5 km South-East
C] 10 km East
D] 5 km West
33. A cyclist rides 20 km south, turns 45° left, and rides 20
km. What is the approximate displacement from the starting
point?
A] 28.28 km
B] 20 km
C] 14.14 km
D] 40 km
34. A boat sails 25 km north, then 25 km west, and then 25 km
south. What is the direction of the final position relative to the
starting point?
A] West
B] East
C] North
D] South
35. A person starts facing west, turns 90° clockwise, walks 12
km, and then turns 180° and walks 12 km. In which direction
is he now?
A] North
B] South
C] East
D] West
36. A man walks 8 km south, turns 90° left, walks 6 km, and
then turns 90° left again and walks 8 km. What is the final
position?
A] 6 km East
B] 6 km West
C] 8 km North
D] 8 km South
37. A car drives 30 km east, turns 135° anticlockwise, and
drives 30 km. What is the approximate shortest distance to the
starting point?
A] 42.43 km
B] 30 km
C] 21.21 km
D] 60 km
38. A person walks 5 km north, turns 45° right, walks 5 km,
and then turns 45° left and walks 5 km. What is the total
displacement?
A] 10 km
B] 7.07 km
C] 5 km
D] 15 km
39. A man faces south, turns 270° clockwise, walks 7 km, and
then turns 90° anticlockwise and walks 7 km. In which
direction is he now?
A] East
B] West
C] North
D] South
40. A cyclist rides 15 km west, turns 90° right, rides 10 km,
and then turns 180° and rides 15 km. What is the final
position relative to the starting point?
A] 10 km North
B] 10 km South
C] 15 km East
D] 15 km West
41. A boat sails 20 km south, then 20 km east, and then 20 km
north. What is the shortest distance to the starting point?
A] 20 km
B] 40 km
C] 10 km
D] 30 km
42. A person walks 9 km east, turns 45° clockwise, and walks
9 km. What is the approximate direction from the starting
point?
A] South-East
B] North-East
C] South-West
D] North-West
43. A man starts facing north, turns 90° anticlockwise, walks 8
km, and then turns 45° clockwise and walks 8 km. What is his
final direction?
A] North-West
B] South-West
C] North-East
D] South-East
44. A car drives 12 km north, turns 90° left, drives 16 km, and
then turns 90° right and drives 12 km. What is the final
position?
A] 16 km West
B] 16 km East
C] 12 km North
D] 12 km South
45. A hiker walks 10 km south, turns 45° right, and walks 10
km. What is the approximate shortest distance to the starting
point?
A] 14.14 km
B] 10 km
C] 20 km
D] 7.07 km
46. A person travels 7 km west, turns 90° right, travels 5 km,
and then turns 90° left and travels 7 km. In which direction is
he now from the starting point?
A] North
B] South
C] East
D] West
47. A man walks 6 km east, turns 180°, walks 3 km, and then
turns 90° clockwise and walks 4 km. What is his final
position?
A] 3 km North-East
B] 3 km South-East
C] 4 km North
D] 4 km South
48. A cyclist rides 25 km north, turns 45° left, and rides 25
km. What is the approximate displacement from the starting
point?
A] 35.36 km
B] 25 km
C] 17.68 km
D] 50 km
49. A boat sails 15 km west, then 15 km south, and then 15
km east. What is the direction of the final position relative to
the starting point?
A] South
B] North
C] East
D] West
50. A person starts facing east, turns 135° anticlockwise,
walks 10 km, and then turns 45° clockwise and walks 10 km.
In which direction is he now from the starting point?
A] North-East
B] South-West
C] North-West
D] South-East
ANSWER KEY
Q. Answ Q. Answ Q. Answ Q. Answ Q. Answ
No er No er No er No er No er
1 B 11 A 21 A 31 A 41 A
2 C 12 A 22 C 32 B 42 A
3 D 13 B 23 D 33 A 43 A
4 A 14 D 24 A 34 A 44 A
5 A 15 B 25 B 35 A 45 A
6 C 16 A 26 A 36 B 46 B
7 B 17 A 27 A 37 A 47 A
8 B 18 A 28 D 38 D 48 A
9 A 19 C 29 B 39 A 49 A
10 D 20 A 30 A 40 B 50 C