Direction Sense Test – Basics, Facts, Cardinal Directions, East, West, North, South (Aptitude Questions and Solution)

Direction Sense Test (Basics, Questions and Solved Examples)

Direction Sense is an important topic of Logical Reasoning. In this topic we will learn how to detect the direction according to the given situations. As we know that, there are four major directions – East (E), West (W), North (N) and South (S).


Also, there are four cardinal directions, which are North-East (N-E), North-West (N-W), South-East (S-E) and South-West (S-W).


Note: To solve the direction sense test questions, you need to make a sketch of the data provided and according to that sketch you will easily get to the answer.

Some facts about shadow formed due to Sunlight

1. In the morning, as the sun rises from the east, so the shadow of any objects formed is in the west direction.
2. At noon, or 12 pm, when the sun is exactly on top, no shadow will form.
3. In the evening, as the sun sets in the West, so the shadow of any objects formed is in the East.

Keeping these facts in mind, there are some types of questions which come into the exams, which we will discuss one by one.

Practice Questions : For Direction Sense

Question 1: Ram starts from a point A walks 10 km north, then turns right and walks for 7 km, then turns right again and walks for another 10 km. And reaches point B. How far is Ram from the starting point?
Solution: Now, according to the question and keeping the directions in mind, we can easily say that Ram is 7 km away from the starting point.

Question 2: Sam started walking from point A towards East and walked for 6 km, then he turned to the left and walked for 8 km to reach point B. How far was he from the starting point?
Solution: Now, according to the question,


Now, the Distance between A and B = √( 62 + 82) (By Pythagoras Theorem)
= √100
= 10 km


Therefore, the distance from the starting point is 10 km.

Question 3: One morning after sunrise, Mahesh was standing facing a pole. The shadow of the pole fell exactly to his right. To which direction was he facing?
Solution: The sun rises in the East (E) in the morning.
As the shadow of Mahesh falls to his right.
So he must be facing South.

Question 4: M is in the East of N, which is in the North of S. If P is in the South of S, then in which direction of M, is P?
Solution: Let us understand through the diagram, which will clear the question more.


So, P is South-West of M.

Question 5: You are facing south. You turn right and walk 20 m, then you turn right and walk 10m. Then turn left and walk for 10 m. then turn right and walk for 20 m. Then you turn right again and walk 60 m. In which direction do you in from the starting point?
Solution: First we have to make a sketch of all the given data and then we will analyze it to get the answer or to know the direction,


we start facing south and after that follow the paths given in question above.
Now, we have to find a direction from the starting point.


Here, we will also find the distance from start to F, distance = √(302 + 302 ) = 30√2.
And, the direction is N-E (North-East).