Aptitude · Logical reasoning
Directions, made easy
💡 The idea
Draw the walk on paper with North at the top. Add up the north–south and the east–west parts separately; the straight line back is the long side of a right-angled triangle.
Draw each leg→Net north–south→Net east–west→√(a² + b²)
🧭 The method: 3 steps
- Draw North up, East right, and mark each leg.
- Net north–south = north − south; net east–west = east − west.
- Distance = √(NS² + EW²); the direction combines the two (e.g. North-East).
🎬 Every kind of question, in pictures
Pick a kind. Guess the answer first, then watch the picture work it out. Tap any step to see it in the picture.
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✏️ Worked examples
Example 1. Walk 3 km east, then 4 km north. How far from the start?
- East 3, North 4
- √(9 + 16) = √25
⚡ Shortcut: 5 km
⚠️ Where people go wrong
- Adding all legs (distance walked) instead of the straight line.
- Answering the direction of the START from the person (the opposite).
- Turning right while facing south means facing WEST.
📌 Remember
- N up, E right
- Right turn = clockwise
- 3-4-5, 6-8-10, 5-12-13