Direction and Distance

This Page will cover all the details for How To Solve Directional Sense Questions Quickly.

There are two types of directions –

4 way direction (West, East, North, South)
8 way direction(North-West, West, South West, South, South East, East, North East, North)

Now, there are two methods rules

Calculation method :- Generally used for easy questions
Cheat Scale method :- Can solve difficult questions without difficulty, may not work for all problems

Before going further make sure that you know Pythagorus Formula

Hypotenuse²= Perpendicular²+ Base²

Now, these facts should also be handy before going any further.

An object’s shadow will fall in to the west side, i.e. opp. side of sunrise(Sun rises in East)
Similary, shadow will fall in east at sunset.
At noon i.e. 12:00am, no shadow(Theoretically) will just fall vertically

We will solve 2 questions for this, one easy and one hard. So, first you understand the concept and then you try that question yourself.

Easy Question –

A car(walking at constant speed) starts walking towards north for 5 hours and then turns right and walks another 3 hour and turns right again and walks 9 hours.

In such questions where only hours are given and speed to constant so distance will linearly proportional to time travelled so time can be used as distance units

We think that the image is self explanatory –

Calculation Method –

We will solve 2 questions for this, one easy and one hard. So, first you understand the concept and then you try that question yourself.

Easy Question –

A car(walking at constant speed) starts walking towards north for 5 hours and then turns right and walks another 3 hour and turns right again and walks 9 hours.

Finally we will use Pythagorous theorem to calculate the distance(in red)

$hypotenuse^{2} = Altitude^{2} + Base^{2}$

$= (9 – 5)^2+ 3^2$

$= 4^2 + 3^2$

= 25

Thus $Distance = \sqrt{25} = 5$

Lets say in the last question perpendicular was 29 and base 23.

In most exams you can carry, a pencil scale ;). Now, rather than calculating complicated under roots of such powers, use a scale to measure hypotenuse distance, for example in the last question just measure the red line.

Use 1 hour as 1 scale distance while making exact diagram with scale
If problem is complicated then use approximations for example in case of 43 consider 10 units as 1 scale centimetre and 4.3 cms will be our distance

In such questions rather than giving – person turns left toward east than giving – person turns left, toward east. They provide information like person facing towards a direction turns x degrees in anti-clickwise direction.

For example – A person facing towards East turn 135 degrees in anti-clockwise direction will now be facing north west or i.e will be facing the middle of Quadrant 2.

The following diagrams gives anti-clock wise movement will be just opposite of it.

1.Rocky starting from his home, walks 4 km in the East, then he moves to his right direction and walks 3 km. to reach rockey's home what is the shortest distance?

Explanation:

To find out the minimum distance among these points we need to apply the Pythagoras theorem. the smallest distance among will come by applying the formula: sum of the squares of the other two sides is equal to the square of the hypotenuse

Minimum distance = root square of 4 and 3

=Root of 25=5kms

Hence, the distance between the starting point to finish point is 5 kms.

2.Surekha is standing towards north to Vivek. Raj is standing west side of Surekha.Govind is standing to East of Vivek. In which direction Govind is standing respect to Raj?

A. South-East

B. South-West

C. North-West

D. North-East

Answer: D

Explanation:

A dog is looking for his mother. He travelled 90 metres in the Eastside before turning to his right. He went 20 meters before turning to his right again to look for his mother at his master’s place 30 metres from this point. But dog’s mother was not there. From this point he again ran 100 metres to the Northside before finding his mother in a road. What is the minimum distance among the starting point and his mother’s position?

A. 40 metres

B. 80 metres

C. 100 metres

D. 160 metres

Answer: C

Explanation:

The movement of the dog from A to E is as shown in figure.

Clearly, the dog meets his mother at E.

Now, AF = (AB – FB)

= (AB – DC) = (90 – 30) metres = 60 metres.

EF = (DE – DF) = (DE – BC)

= (100 – 20) metres = 80 metres.

So the total distance is = root of (square of 60 + square of 80), which will be 100 metres.

1.One morning after dawn, Ramesh was standing facing a poll. The shadow of the poll fell exactly to his right. To which direction was Ramesh facing ?

A. East

B. West

C. North

D. South

E. Data inadequate

Answer: C

Explanations:

Sun rises in the east in the morning. Since the shadow of Ramesh falls to his right. So he is facing South.

2.One evening previous to dusk Sakshi and Mohon were conversing face to face with each other. If Sakshi's shadow was closely to the right side of Mohon, so Sakshi was facing in which direction?

A. North

B. East

C. South

D. Data is inadequate

Answer: C

Explanations:

The sun sets in Westside in evening time. So, any shadow will falls in the Eastside only. Since Mohon's shadow was exactly to the right side of Mohon. Hence Sakshi was facing towards South direction

3.Rabina is facing east. Then she turns 100° in clockwise direction and then 45° in the anticlockwise direction. Which direction she is facing now ?

A. North-West

B. North

C. South-East

D. South

Answer: C

Explanations:

When it turns in clockwise direction 100 degree then it faces the south-west direction. Then again it turns 45 degree anticlockwise and now it faces the south-east direction.