Direction Sense Questions for SSC CGL: The Short Answer
Direction sense questions give a person's walk (distances and left/right turns) and ask for the final direction or the shortest distance from the starting point. The fastest method is to draw each move on a rough grid, keep track of which way the person is facing after every turn, and use Pythagoras (a² + b² = c²) for the straight-line distance. Most SSC answers come from the 3-4-5, 5-12-13, 6-8-10 and 7-24-25 triangles.
Key takeaway for SSC: SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS and GD ask 1 to 2 direction questions in reasoning, and bank Clerk exams add coded direction puzzles. Learn the turn table (right = clockwise), the four main triangles, and the shadow rule (morning shadow falls west, evening shadow falls east). Every answer below was checked with a coordinate program.
For more SSC reasoning, pair this note with our blood relation questions for SSC CGL and dice questions for SSC CGL.
Basic Directions in Reasoning (Main and Cardinal Directions)
There are four main (cardinal) directions and four in-between (ordinal) directions.
| Direction | Opposite | 90° clockwise (right turn) | 90° anticlockwise (left turn) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | South | East | West |
| East | West | South | North |
| South | North | West | East |
| West | East | North | South |
| North-East | South-West | South-East | North-West |
| South-East | North-West | South-West | North-East |
| South-West | North-East | North-West | South-East |
| North-West | South-East | North-East | South-West |
Memory trick for clockwise order: "Never Eat Soggy Wafers": North → East → South → West → back to North. A right turn moves one step forward in this order; a left turn moves one step back.
On paper, keep North at the top, East on the right, South at the bottom, West on the left, just like a map.
Direction Sense Left and Right Turn Rules (Turn Table)
The most common error is turning "right" on the page instead of turning right for the person. Use this table.
| Facing | Turns right, now faces | Turns left, now faces | Turns back (180°), now faces |
|---|---|---|---|
| North | East | West | South |
| East | South | North | West |
| South | West | East | North |
| West | North | South | East |
A quick check: if the person is walking south (down the page), their right hand points west (left of the page).
Direction Sense Tricks for Shortest Distance (Pythagoras Formula)
The shortest distance between the start and end points is the straight line joining them.
- Add all movements along north–south: net vertical = north total − south total.
- Add all movements along east–west: net horizontal = east total − west total.
- Shortest distance = √(vertical² + horizontal²).
- Direction from start = combine the signs (for example, north and east → North-East).
Pythagorean triplets to remember for SSC
| Sides | Distance | Multiples that appear |
|---|---|---|
| 3, 4 | 5 | 6-8-10, 9-12-15, 12-16-20, 15-20-25 |
| 5, 12 | 13 | 10-24-26 |
| 8, 15 | 17 | — |
| 7, 24 | 25 | — |
| equal sides a, a | a√2 | 5-5-5√2, 6-6-6√2 |
Direction Sense Questions with Solutions (Solved Examples)
Example 1: Turns and final direction
Ravi walks 10 km north, turns right and walks 6 km, then turns right again and walks 4 km. How far is he from the start, and in which direction? Which way is he facing?
- North 10 → (0, 10). Right turn from north = east; 6 km → (6, 10).
- Right turn from east = south; 4 km → (6, 6).
- Net: 6 km north and 6 km east. Distance = √(36 + 36) = 6√2 km ≈ 8.49 km, North-East of the start. He is facing south.
Example 2: The 5-12-13 triangle
Neha walks 5 m east, turns left and walks 12 m. How far is she from the start?
- Left turn from east = north. Net: 5 east, 12 north.
- Distance = √(25 + 144) = 13 m, North-East. She faces north.
Example 3: Four moves
Aman walks 3 km south, turns left and walks 7 km, turns left again and walks 8 km, then turns right and walks 5 km. Find his distance and direction from the start.
- South 3 → (0, −3). Facing south, left = east; 7 km → (7, −3).
- Facing east, left = north; 8 km → (7, 5).
- Facing north, right = east; 5 km → (12, 5).
- Distance = √(144 + 25) = 13 km, North-East.
Example 4: Back on the same line
Pooja walks 15 m west, turns right and walks 8 m, then turns right and walks 15 m. Where is she?
- West 15 → (−15, 0). Facing west, right = north; 8 m → (−15, 8).
- Facing north, right = east; 15 m → (0, 8).
- She is 8 m north of the start, facing east.
Example 5: Point-to-point (SSC CGL style)
Point P is 6 m north of Point Q. Point R is 8 m east of Q. What is the distance between P and R, and in which direction is R from P?
- Q = (0, 0), P = (0, 6), R = (8, 0).
- PR = √(64 + 36) = 10 m. R is South-East of P.
Angle and Rotation Based Direction Questions
Clockwise rotation = turning right. Anticlockwise = turning left. Work out the net rotation first.
| Rotation from North | Ends facing |
|---|---|
| 45° clockwise | North-East |
| 90° clockwise | East |
| 135° clockwise | South-East |
| 180° | South |
| 45° anticlockwise | North-West |
| 135° anticlockwise | South-West |
Example 6. A man facing north turns 135° clockwise and then 180° anticlockwise. Which direction does he face now? Net = 135° clockwise − 180° = 45° anticlockwise from north → North-West.
Example 7. A girl facing south-east turns 90° clockwise. She now faces South-West (south-east → south → south-west, two 45° steps).
Shadow Based Direction Sense Questions (Morning and Evening Rule)
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so:
| Time | Sun is in | Shadow falls towards |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (after sunrise) | East | West |
| Evening (before sunset) | West | East |
Example 8. In the morning, Sunil's shadow falls to his right. Which direction is he facing? Morning shadow falls west, so west is on his right. A person with west on the right is facing south.
Example 9. In the evening, Kavya's shadow falls exactly behind her. Which way is she facing? Evening shadow falls east, so east is behind her. She faces west (towards the setting sun).
Coded Direction Questions (Bank and SSC CHSL Pattern)
Bank Clerk exams often use symbols. Example code:
- A # B means A is to the north of B.
- A @ B means A is to the east of B.
- A % B means A is to the south of B.
- A & B means A is to the west of B.
Example 10. If P # Q and Q @ R, where is P with respect to R (assume equal distances where not given)? Q is east of R, and P is north of Q. So P is North-East of R.
Tip: always draw the base point first, then place each point relative to it, and only then answer "with respect to" questions. Reading the relation backwards ("R with respect to P") flips the answer to South-West.
How to Solve Direction Sense Questions Quickly (Step-by-Step Trick)
- Draw a small plus sign with N at the top before reading the question.
- Mark the start point with a dot and the letter S.
- After every turn, write the new facing direction with an arrow. Do not try to hold it in your head.
- Write distances on each line and cancel opposite movements (north vs south, east vs west).
- Apply Pythagoras only on the net movements and look for a triplet.
- Read the question again: "direction of the start from the end" is the opposite of "direction of the end from the start".
Common Mistakes in Direction Sense Questions
- Turning right on the page instead of turning right for the person (wrong when facing south or west).
- Giving the direction of the end from the start when the question asks the start from the end.
- Adding all distances instead of finding the shortest distance.
- Forgetting that an equal net north and net east gives North-East, not North or East.
- In shadow questions, forgetting that the morning shadow points west.
- In rotation questions, adding clockwise and anticlockwise turns instead of subtracting them.
Quick Revision Table: Direction Sense Tricks
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Right turn | Clockwise: N → E → S → W → N |
| Left turn | Anticlockwise: N → W → S → E → N |
| Shortest distance | √(net N–S² + net E–W²) |
| Common triplets | 3-4-5, 5-12-13, 8-15-17, 7-24-25 |
| Equal net legs | a√2, direction is an ordinal (NE, NW, SE, SW) |
| Morning shadow | Falls west |
| Evening shadow | Falls east |
| 45° turn | Moves to the in-between direction |
| Opposite question | Start from end = reverse of end from start |
Direction Sense Questions for SSC CGL (Practice Set with Answers)
- A boy walks 4 m north, turns right and walks 3 m. How far is he from the start? Answer: 5 m (North-East). 3-4-5 triangle.
- Rina walks 20 m east, turns left and walks 15 m, then turns left and walks 20 m. How far and in which direction is she from the start? Answer: 15 m north. East and west cancel; she ends 15 m north, facing west.
- Mohit walks 6 km south, turns right and walks 8 km, turns right and walks 6 km, then turns left and walks 5 km. Where is he from the start? Answer: 13 km west. South and north cancel; west 8 + 5 = 13.
- Sana walks 12 m north, turns left and walks 5 m. What is the shortest distance from the start? Answer: 13 m (North-West).
- A man walks 9 m west, turns left and walks 4 m, turns left and walks 6 m, then turns left and walks 4 m. Where is he from the start and which way is he facing? Answer: 3 m west, facing north. Net west 9 − 6 = 3; south 4 and north 4 cancel.
- Tarun walks 7 km east, then turns right and walks 24 km. Find his distance from the start. Answer: 25 km (South-East). 7-24-25 triangle.
- A person facing west turns 90° clockwise, then 180° clockwise. Which direction does he face now? Answer: South. West + 90° clockwise = north; + 180° = south.
- In the evening, Ali's shadow falls exactly to his left. Which direction is Ali facing? Answer: South. Evening shadow falls east; a person with east on the left is facing south.
- If X @ Y means X is east of Y and Y % Z means Y is south of Z, where is X with respect to Z? Answer: South-East (X is east of Y, which is south of Z).
- From his house, Rahul walks 10 m north, turns right and walks 10 m, then turns right and walks 20 m. In which direction is his house from his current position? Answer: North-West. He ends at 10 m east and 10 m south of the house, so the house is north-west of him.
For timed practice, take the SSC CHSL Direction Sense and Ranking Mock Test 01 and the SSC CGL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 01.
Direction Sense FAQs
How do you solve direction sense questions easily?
Draw a small map with north at the top, mark the start, write the new facing direction after every turn, cancel opposite movements, and use Pythagoras on the net north–south and east–west distances.
What is the formula for shortest distance in direction sense?
Shortest distance = √(net north–south distance² + net east–west distance²). Look for triplets like 3-4-5, 5-12-13 and 7-24-25 to answer without calculation.
If a man is facing south, which side is his right?
West. A person facing south has west on the right and east on the left.
In which direction does a shadow fall in the morning?
Towards the west, because the sun rises in the east. In the evening the shadow falls towards the east.
What is the difference between clockwise and anticlockwise turns?
A clockwise turn is a right turn (north to east). An anticlockwise turn is a left turn (north to west). A 45° turn moves you to the in-between direction, such as north-east.
How many direction sense questions come in SSC CGL?
Usually 1 to 2 questions in the reasoning section of SSC CGL Tier 1, often as a distance or final direction question, and the same pattern appears in SSC CHSL, MTS and GD.
Practice Next
- More direction sense practice: RRB Group D Direction Sense Mock Test 02 and RRB JE Reasoning Mock Test 01.
- Mock tests: SSC CHSL Direction Sense and Ranking Mock Test 01, SSC CGL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 02 and SSC CHSL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 01.
- Topic test: SSC CGL Direction Sense Mock Test 01.
- Related notes: blood relation questions for SSC CGL, order and ranking questions for bank exams, linear seating arrangement questions for bank exams and height and distance for SSC CGL, plus Venn diagram questions for SSC CGL, coding decoding tricks for SSC CGL, plus direction sense questions for bank exams.
- Exam details: SSC CGL 2026 and SSC CHSL 2026.
- Browse all study notes.