Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples - Aptitude Questions & Answers
Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples is one of the most important topics in Logical Reasoning Explained: Concepts, Tricks, and Practice Questions. In this lesson, you will learn concepts, formulas, shortcuts, solved examples, and aptitude questions with answers. This topic is useful for exams like SSC, Bank, CAT, TCS, and other competitive exams.
Direction Sense: Complete Guide with Diagrams & Examples
What is Direction Sense?
Direction Sense involves problems that test a person\'s ability to determine directions, distances, and positions based on given information. These problems require understanding of cardinal directions, turns, distances, and spatial relationships.
Real-world Application: Navigation, map reading, puzzles, and competitive exams.
Basic Directions
Cardinal Directions
The four main directions are called Cardinal Directions:
Ordinal (Sub) Directions
The four intermediate directions between cardinal points:
Angle Relationships:
- Between two adjacent cardinal directions: 90°
- Between cardinal and ordinal direction: 45°
- Between two opposite directions: 180°
- Full circle: 360°
Directions Based on Turns
Understanding Left and Right Turns
When facing a particular direction, turning left or right changes your facing direction by 90°.
Rules for Turns:
- Turning right: Move 90° clockwise from current direction
- Turning left: Move 90° counter-clockwise from current direction
- Turning 180°: Reverse direction (about turn)
Example Problem: If a person moves towards East, then turns to his left, then turns to his left again. In which direction is he traveling now?
Solution:
- Start facing East
- Turn left (90° counter-clockwise) → Now facing North
- Turn left again (90° counter-clockwise) → Now facing West
Directions Based on Distance
Path Following Problems
These problems involve following a path with specified distances and turns, then finding final position relative to start.
Example Problem: A woman walks 10 km North, turns left, walks 8 km, turns left again, walks 10 km. How far and in which direction is she from starting point?
Solution:
- Start at X, walk 10 km North to A
- Turn left (West), walk 8 km to B
- Turn left (South), walk 10 km to Y
- Final position Y is 8 km West of starting point X
Finding Direction of Starting Point
Example Problem: A man walks 5 km West, turns right, walks 2 km, turns right again, walks 7 km. What is the direction of starting point from his present position?
Solution:
- From X, 5 km West to A
- Turn right (North), 2 km to B
- Turn right (East), 7 km to Y
- From Y, starting point X is South-West
Shortest Distance (Displacement)
Using Pythagoras Theorem
When movement forms a right-angled triangle, use Pythagoras theorem to find shortest distance between start and end points.
Where c = hypotenuse (shortest distance)
a, b = other two sides
Example Problem: A man walks 4 km East, then turns left and walks 3 km. How far is he from starting point?
Solution using Pythagoras theorem:
c² = a² + b² = 4² + 3² = 16 + 9 = 25
c = √25 = 5 km
Directions Based on Rotations
Angular Turns
Problems involving turns of specific angles (45°, 90°, 135°, 180°, etc.)
Example Problem: A woman facing North turns 90° clockwise, then 180° anti-clockwise. Which direction is she facing now?
Solution:
- Start facing North
- 90° clockwise: North → East
- 180° anti-clockwise from East: East → North → West
Shadow-Based Directions
Sun and Shadow Relationship
Morning: Sun in East → Shadow in West
Evening: Sun in West → Shadow in East
Noon: Sun overhead → Minimal shadow
Example Problem: One evening, Ajay and Aman are walking opposite to each other. Ajay\'s shadow is to the left of Aman. In which direction is Aman facing?
Solution:
- Evening: Sun in West, shadows fall East
- Ajay\'s shadow is to left of Aman
- For shadow to be on left, Aman must be facing South
- If Aman faces South, Ajay (opposite) faces North
- With Ajay facing North, his shadow falls behind him (South), which is to left of Aman
Direction Sense: Frequently Asked Questions
How to remember the order of directions?
Use mnemonic \"Never Eat Shredded Wheat\" for clockwise order: North, East, South, West. For anti-clockwise: Never Waste Sweet Energy (North, West, South, East).
What\'s the difference between \"from\" and \"to\" in direction questions?
\"Direction of A from B\" means standing at B, looking toward A. \"Direction from A to B\" means starting at A, moving toward B. They are opposite directions.
How to handle 45° turns?
45° turn changes direction to adjacent ordinal direction. Example: Facing North, 45° right → North-East; 45° left → North-West.
What if movements don\'t form right angles?
For non-right angles, use trigonometry or break into components. In most exam problems, movements are at right angles (90° turns).
How to solve shadow problems quickly?
Remember: Shadow opposite to sun. Morning: Sun East, Shadow West. Evening: Sun West, Shadow East. Noon: Sun South (in Northern hemisphere), Shadow North.
Practice Problems
Problem 1
A person walks 12 km South, turns right, walks 5 km, turns right again, walks 12 km. How far and in which direction from starting point?
Problem 2
Rahul facing North. He turns 135° clockwise, then 90° anti-clockwise. Which direction now?
Problem 3
Morning time, Ram\'s shadow falls to his left. In which direction is Ram facing?
Problem 4
A car travels 15 km North, turns left, travels 20 km, turns left, travels 15 km. What\'s shortest distance to start?
Problem 5
If South-West becomes South, North-East becomes East, what does North become?
Quick Reference Formulas
• Right turn = 90° clockwise
• Left turn = 90° anti-clockwise
• About turn = 180° turn
• 45° turn = to adjacent ordinal direction
• Right triangle: c² = a² + b²
• For distances at right angles
• Shadow opposite to Sun
• Morning: Sun East, Shadow West
• Evening: Sun West, Shadow East
• Noon: Minimal shadow
• Opposite directions: N-S, E-W, NE-SW, NW-SE
• Adjacent directions differ by 45° or 90°
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples?
Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples is an important aptitude topic used in competitive exams that tests your logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
Is Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples important for competitive exams?
Yes, Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples is frequently asked in SSC, Bank, CAT, TCS, and other placement exams. It's essential to master this topic for better scores.
How to prepare Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples easily?
Practice solved examples, learn formulas and shortcuts, and attempt practice questions regularly to master Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples.
What are the important formulas in Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples?
Key formulas vary by topic, but generally include basic concepts, shortcuts, and standard problem-solving approaches specific to Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples.
How many questions come from Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples?
Typically 5-10 questions come from Directions in Logical Reasoning Tips, Tricks, and Solved Examples in most competitive exams, making it a high-scoring section.
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