Direction Test

1. What are Direction Tests?

Direction Tests involve problems that test your ability to determine directions and positions based on given information. These questions evaluate your sense of direction and spatial awareness.

Direction Determination

Position Finding

Spatial Awareness

Distance Calculation

Simple Definition: Direction tests are logical reasoning problems that involve finding directions, positions, or distances based on given movements and turns.

Basic Directions & Cardinal Points

Direction Fundamentals

Direction	Abbreviation	Degree	Opposite Direction
North	N	0° / 360°	South
South	S	180°	North
East	E	90°	West
West	W	270°	East
North-East	NE	45°	South-West
North-West	NW	315°	South-East
South-East	SE	135°	North-West
South-West	SW	225°	North-East

2. Direction Diagram

Visual Direction Representation

NW

North-West

N

North

NE

North-East

W

West

YOU

Here

E

East

SW

South-West

S

South

SE

South-East

3. Turning Rules & Conventions

Understanding turning rules is crucial for solving direction problems:

1

Right Angle Turn

90° turn changes direction completely

2

Left Turn Rules

North → Left → West, East → Left → North, etc.

3

Right Turn Rules

North → Right → East, West → Right → North, etc.

4

About Turn Rules

180° turn faces opposite direction

4. Turning Patterns

Direction Change Patterns

Current Direction	After Left Turn	After Right Turn	After About Turn
North	West	East	South
South	East	West	North
East	North	South	West
West	South	North	East
Remember	Left turn = Anti-clockwise, Right turn = Clockwise

5. Shadow Direction Concepts

Using Shadows to Find Directions

Morning (Sunrise)

Sun rises in East

Shadow falls in West

If facing Sun

East in front, West behind

Evening (Sunset)

Sun sets in West

Shadow falls in East

If facing Sun

West in front, East behind

Noon Time (12 PM)

Sun is exactly in South (in Northern Hemisphere), shadows point North

6. Solved Examples

Example 1: Basic Direction

Rahul walks 5 km East, then turns right and walks 3 km. How far and in which direction is he from starting point?

Step 1: Start: Point A, walks 5 km East to Point B

Step 2: Turns right from East → faces South

Step 3: Walks 3 km South to Point C

Step 4: Final position: 5 km East + 3 km South from start

Answer: South-East direction, distance = √(5² + 3²) = √34 km

Example 2: Multiple Turns

Priya faces North. She turns 135° clockwise, then 90° anti-clockwise. Which direction is she facing now?

Step 1: Start: North

Step 2: 135° clockwise from North: 90° (East) + 45° = South-East

Step 3: 90° anti-clockwise from South-East: faces East

Answer: East

Example 3: Shadow Problem

In morning, Rohan's shadow falls to his left. Which direction is he facing?

Step 1: Morning: Sun in East, shadow in West

Step 2: Shadow to his left means West is to his left

Step 3: If West is left, he must be facing North

Answer: North

7. Distance Calculation

Pythagoras Theorem Application

Right Angle Movements

Formula

Distance = √(a² + b²)

Example

3 km North + 4 km East = 5 km from start

Direction Combination

Perpendicular Directions

North+East = North-East

Opposite Directions

North+South = Net distance difference

8. Quick Recap

Concept	Key Point	Example
Cardinal Directions	N, S, E, W	Basic four directions
Turning Rules	Left/Right turns	North → Right → East
Shadow Direction	Morning: West, Evening: East	Sunrise in East
Distance Formula	√(a² + b²)	3² + 4² = 5²
Direction Combinations	N+E=NE, S+W=SW	Intermediate directions

9. Delhi Police Exam Tips

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Draw diagrams for complex direction problems

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Memorize turning rules - Left/Right from each direction

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Remember shadow concepts - crucial for time-based problems

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Use Pythagoras theorem for distance calculations

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Practice clockwise/anti-clockwise turning problems