Direction Sense Test

1. What is Direction Sense Test?

Direction Sense Test is a logical reasoning exercise that tests your ability to visualize and track movement in different directions. It involves calculating final positions and directions after a series of movements and turns.

Spatial Awareness

Path Tracking

Distance Calculation

Direction Analysis

Simple Definition: Direction Sense involves tracking movement paths and determining final positions relative to starting points.

2. Types of Direction Problems

Major Categories of Direction Sense

Based on Complexity

Basic Directions

Cardinal directions (N, S, E, W)

Distance & Displacement

Path length vs straight line

Complex Paths

Multiple turns and angles

Based on Approach

Point-to-Point

Movement between specific points

Shadow Based

Using shadows to find directions

Clock Based

Direction based on clock timing

3. Basic Directions (N, S, E, W)

Cardinal Directions & Their Combinations

North (N)

0° / 360°

East (E)

90°

South (S)

180°

West (W)

270°

Intermediate Directions

Direction	Combination	Angle	Example
North-East (NE)	Between N and E	45°	Halfway between North and East
South-East (SE)	Between S and E	135°	Halfway between South and East
South-West (SW)	Between S and W	225°	Halfway between South and West
North-West (NW)	Between N and W	315°	Halfway between North and West

4. Distance & Displacement

Key Concepts

Distance

Total path length

Displacement

Straight line distance

Pythagoras

For right triangles

Coordinate

X-Y axis method

Distance vs Displacement Examples

Movement	Distance	Displacement	Explanation
5m East + 5m West	10m	0m	Back to starting point
3m North + 4m East	7m	5m NE	Pythagoras: √(3²+4²)=5
6m South + 8m West	14m	10m SW	√(6²+8²)=10
10m N + 10m E + 10m S	30m	10m E	North-South cancel out

5. Complex Paths (Turns & Angles)

Types of Turns and Their Effects

90°

Right Angle Turns

Left/Right turns change direction by 90°

180°

About Turn

Complete reversal of direction

45°

Diagonal Turns

Turns to intermediate directions

M

Multiple Turns

Series of left and right turns

Complex Path Examples

Starting Direction	Turns	Final Direction	Explanation
North	Right → Right → Left	East	N→E→S→E (Right+Right-Left=+90°)
East	Left → Right → Right → Left	West	E→N→E→S→W (Net 180° turn)
South	About turn → Left → Right	South	S→N→W→S (Back to original)
West	Right → Left → Left → Right	West	W→N→W→S→W (Net 0° change)

6. Shadow Based Directions

Using Shadows to Find Directions

Morning (Sunrise)

Sun in East

Shadows fall West

If facing Sun

East - Front, West - Back

If shadow in front

Facing West

Evening (Sunset)

Sun in West

Shadows fall East

If facing Sun

West - Front, East - Back

If shadow in front

Facing East

Remember: Shadows are always opposite to the sun's position!

7. How to Solve Direction Sense Questions

Step-by-Step Approach:

1

Draw Diagram

Sketch the path with directions

2

Track Direction Changes

Note each turn and its effect

3

Calculate Coordinates

Use X-Y axis for complex paths

4

Verify Answer

Double-check with diagram

Always use the coordinate method for complex paths: North/South as Y-axis, East/West as X-axis!

8. Common Delhi Police / SSC Exam Facts

Basic Directions → Most Common

Distance Problems → Frequent

Time Limit → 60-90 seconds per question

Diagram Method → Key Solving Technique

Practice → Essential for Speed

Complex Paths → Higher Difficulty

9. Quick Recap

Topic	Key Focus	Important Points
Basic Directions	Cardinal & Intermediate	N, S, E, W, NE, NW, SE, SW with angles
Distance & Displacement	Path vs Straight Line	Use Pythagoras theorem for right angles
Complex Paths	Multiple Turns	Track direction changes, use coordinate method
Shadow Based	Sun Position	Shadows opposite to sun, morning vs evening

You've completed Direction Sense Test!

Courage Tip: Remember to always draw diagrams for complex paths, use the coordinate method for distance calculations, and practice different types of direction problems to improve your spatial reasoning skills for exams.