Direction Sense
Direction Sense is a key part of the Reasoning section in exams like UPSC. It tests your ability to imagine paths and find final positions. At its core, this topic involves four main directions: North, South, East, and West. On a piece of paper, we always mark North at the top and South at the bottom. East is on the right side, and West is on the left side. Understanding these basics is the first step to solving any problem.
Concepts (3)
There are four main directions: North (N), South (S), East (E), and West (W). On a map, North is up and South is down. East is to the right and West is to the left.
There are four main directions: North (N), South (S), East (E), and West (W). On a map, North is up and South is down. East is to the right and West is to the left. Between these are the four intermediate directions: North-East (NE), North-West (NW), South-East (SE), and South-West (SW). Example: If you walk toward the top-right corner of a page, you are moving North-East.
When a path forms a right-angled triangle, we find the shortest distance using the Pythagoras Theorem. This distance is the hypotenuse.
When a path forms a right-angled triangle, we find the shortest distance using the Pythagoras Theorem. This distance is the hypotenuse. Example: If a person walks 3 km North and 4 km East, the shortest distance from the start is the square root of (3 squared + 4 squared), which is 5 km.
Turns are based on your current facing direction. If you face North, a right turn leads East. If you face South, a right turn leads West. Think of a clock: a right turn is clockwise (90 degrees) and a left turn is anti-clockwise (90 degrees).
Turns are based on your current facing direction. If you face North, a right turn leads East. If you face South, a right turn leads West. Think of a clock: a right turn is clockwise (90 degrees) and a left turn is anti-clockwise (90 degrees). Example: A person facing East turns left; they are now facing North.
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Start Lesson: The Cardinal Directions