Direction Sense Questions for Bank Exams: The Short Answer
Direction sense questions describe a person's walk (distances and left or right turns) and ask for the final direction or the shortest distance from the starting point. Bank exams now set them in two forms: simple walk questions and coded direction sense sets ("P # Q means P is 3 m north of Q"), which are common in IBPS PO and SBI PO. The trick that solves both is to place the start at (0, 0) on a rough grid, track the east–west and north–south totals separately, and use Pythagoras (a² + b² = c²) for the shortest distance.
Key takeaway for bank exams: Memorise the turn chart (facing north, right = east, left = west), draw every step, and remember the 3-4-5, 6-8-10, 5-12-13 and 9-12-15 triangles. Every distance in this note was computed in Python.
For the shorter SSC style, see direction sense questions for SSC CGL. Direction sense also appears inside puzzles, so the floor puzzle and linear seating arrangement notes help with drawing habits.
Direction Sense Chart: Left and Right Turns
| Facing | After a right turn | After a left turn | After a U-turn |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | East | West | South |
| East | South | North | West |
| South | West | East | North |
| West | North | South | East |
| North-east | South-east | North-west | South-west |
| South-west | North-west | South-east | North-east |
Right turn = 90° clockwise. Left turn = 90° anticlockwise. Draw a small compass in the corner of your rough sheet before every set.
Degree Turns in Direction Sense (Clockwise and Anticlockwise)
Use angles measured clockwise from north: N = 0°, NE = 45°, E = 90°, SE = 135°, S = 180°, SW = 225°, W = 270°, NW = 315°.
- Clockwise turn: add the angle.
- Anticlockwise turn: subtract the angle.
- Reduce the result to 0°–359° by adding or subtracting 360°.
Example 1. Facing north, a man turns 135° clockwise and then 90° anticlockwise. 0 + 135 − 90 = 45° → north-east.
Example 2. Facing west, a woman turns 270° anticlockwise. 270 − 270 = 0° → north. (A 270° anticlockwise turn is the same as a 90° clockwise turn.)
How to Solve Direction Sense Questions Quickly (Step-by-Step Trick)
- Start at (0, 0). East is +x, west is −x, north is +y, south is −y.
- Convert every left or right turn into a fixed direction using the chart before you move.
- Keep two running totals: net east–west and net north–south.
- Shortest distance = √(x² + y²).
- Final direction from the start: read the signs. (+, +) = north-east, (+, −) = south-east, (−, +) = north-west, (−, −) = south-west. If one total is zero, the answer is a main direction.
- "Direction of A from B" means stand at B and look at A. Do not reverse it.
Direction Sense Questions with Answers (Solved Examples)
Q1. Ravi walks 8 km north, turns right and walks 6 km. How far and in which direction is he from the start? North then right = east. Position (6, 8). Distance = √(36 + 64) = 10 km, north-east.
Q2. Meena walks 12 m east, turns left and walks 5 m. What is her shortest distance from the start? East then left = north. Position (12, 5). Distance = 13 m (5-12-13 triangle), north-east.
Q3. Arjun walks 15 m south, turns left and walks 10 m, turns left again and walks 7 m, then turns left and walks 4 m. Where is he now from the start? South → left = east → left = north → left = west. x = 10 − 4 = 6; y = −15 + 7 = −8. Distance = 10 m, south-east.
Q4. In the morning, Raju's shadow falls to his right. Which direction is he facing? In the morning the sun is in the east, so shadows fall to the west. West is on his right only when he faces south.
Q5. At sunset, Kavya stands facing north. Which side does her shadow fall? At sunset the sun is in the west, so the shadow falls to the east, which is on her right.
Coded Direction Sense Questions (IBPS PO and SBI PO Style)
Directions: Read the codes and answer.
- P # Q means P is 3 m north of Q
- P @ Q means P is 4 m east of Q
- P £ Q means P is 2 m south of Q
- P & Q means P is 5 m west of Q
Given: A # B, C @ B, D £ C, E & D.
Building the grid (B at the origin):
- B = (0, 0)
- A # B → A is 3 m north of B → A = (0, 3)
- C @ B → C is 4 m east of B → C = (4, 0)
- D £ C → D is 2 m south of C → D = (4, −2)
- E & D → E is 5 m west of D → E = (−1, −2)
Q1. What is the distance between A and C, and in which direction is C from A? From A (0, 3) to C (4, 0): 4 east and 3 south. Distance = 5 m; C is south-east of A.
Q2. In which direction is D from B? D (4, −2) from B (0, 0): east and south → south-east.
Q3. In which direction is E from B? E (−1, −2) from B: 1 west and 2 south → south-west.
Q4. What is the distance between E and D? 5 m (both are 2 m south of the x-axis; E is 5 m west of D).
Q5. If F is 2 m north of E, how far is F from B? F = (−1, 0). F is 1 m west of B.
Trap: In coded sets, "P # Q" describes P's position relative to Q. Read the first letter as the one that moves.
Direction Sense Tricks for Bank Exams
- Pythagorean triples save time: 3-4-5, 6-8-10, 5-12-13, 8-15-17, 9-12-15, 7-24-25. Most exam answers come from these.
- Cancel opposite moves first. 15 south and 7 north leave 8 south.
- Opposite-direction pairs: north–south, east–west, north-east–south-west, north-west–south-east.
- Shadow rule: morning → shadow to the west; evening → shadow to the east. At exactly noon in India there is almost no shadow, so exams avoid noon.
- Facing questions: "After three right turns he faces …" is the same as one left turn.
- Coded sets: write the code table once, then convert each statement into coordinates.
Common Mistakes in Direction Sense Questions
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Turning right relative to the page instead of the walker | Use the chart: right depends on the current facing direction |
| Answering "start from end" instead of "end from start" | Re-read whose position is asked |
| Adding distances instead of using Pythagoras | Shortest distance is the straight line |
| Mixing NE with NW when x is negative | Negative x means west |
| Forgetting a U-turn reverses direction | U-turn = 180° |
Direction Sense Practice Questions (with Answers)
1. A man walks 6 km north, turns right and walks 8 km. How far is he from the start? (8, 6) → 10 km, north-east.
2. A woman walks 3 m east, turns left and walks 4 m, turns right and walks 5 m, then turns left and walks 2 m. How far is she from the start? East → north → east → north: x = 8, y = 6 → 10 m, north-east.
3. Sohan walks 9 m west, turns left and walks 12 m. What is his distance and direction from the start? West then left = south. (−9, −12) → 15 m, south-west.
4. Facing south, a girl turns 90° clockwise and then 45° anticlockwise. Which direction does she face? 180 + 90 − 45 = 225° → south-west.
5. A boy walks 10 m north, turns left and walks 5 m, turns left and walks 4 m, then turns left and walks 13 m. How far is he from the start? North → west → south → east: x = −5 + 13 = 8, y = 10 − 4 = 6 → 10 m.
6. Using the codes above, if G @ A, where is G from C? G is 4 m east of A → G = (4, 3). C = (4, 0). G is 3 m north of C.
7. In the evening, a man's shadow falls directly in front of him. Which way is he facing? Evening shadow points east, so he faces east.
8. A person faces north-west and turns 90° clockwise. Which direction does he face now? 315 + 90 = 405 − 360 = 45° → north-east.
9. After walking, a man is 12 m east and 16 m south of his start. What is the shortest distance? √(144 + 256) = 20 m, south-east.
10. Ramesh faces east and takes three right turns. Which direction does he face? East → south → west → north.
Direction Sense Questions for Bank Exams FAQs
What are direction sense questions in reasoning?
They describe movement in different directions with turns and distances, and ask for the final direction, the shortest distance from the start, or the direction of one point from another.
What is the trick to solve direction sense questions?
Start at (0, 0), convert each turn into a fixed direction using the turn chart, keep separate east–west and north–south totals, then use Pythagoras for the shortest distance.
What is coded direction sense?
A bank exam format where symbols stand for directions and distances, such as "P # Q means P is 3 m north of Q". Convert each statement into coordinates and answer from the grid.
Are direction sense questions asked in IBPS PO and SBI PO?
Yes. Prelims often have a coded direction set or a few single questions, and mains can combine direction with puzzles. Clerk exams ask simpler walk questions.
How do you solve shadow-based direction questions?
In the morning the sun is in the east and shadows fall west; in the evening the sun is in the west and shadows fall east. Then use left and right from the person's facing direction.
What formula is used for shortest distance?
Shortest distance = √(east–west total² + north–south total²), from the Pythagoras theorem.
Practice Next
- Mock tests: IBPS PO Direction Sense Mock Test 01, SBI Clerk Direction Sense Mock Test 01, IBPS Clerk Direction Sense Mock Test 01 and IBPS PO Reasoning Ability Sectional Mock Test 01.
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