Anitha walks 20 km towards the north, then turns right and walks 30 km, then turns right again and travels 35 km, then moves left and walks 15 km, and finally turns left once more and walks 15 km. In which direction is she from her starting point at the end of this journey?

Introduction / Context:
This direction sense problem involves several segments with changes in direction at right angles. The question focuses on the final direction of Anitha relative to her starting point rather than the exact distance. This tests whether a student can keep track of the north south and east west components separately and see how some movements cancel while others accumulate, leaving a net direction.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Anitha first walks 20 km north.
• She then turns right and walks 30 km.
• She turns right again and travels 35 km.
• She moves left and walks 15 km.
• Finally, she turns left again and walks 15 km.
• All movements take place on flat ground with right angle turns, and directions follow the usual compass orientation.

Concept / Approach:
We represent the starting point as (0, 0). North increases the y coordinate, south decreases it, east increases the x coordinate and west decreases it. At each turn we update Anitha's facing direction and apply the next movement accordingly. After all segments, we compare the final coordinates with the origin and determine which cardinal direction best describes her position relative to the starting point.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Start at (0, 0). Walking 20 km north takes Anitha to (0, 20).Step 2: From facing north, a right turn leads to facing east. Walking 30 km east changes her position to (30, 20).Step 3: From facing east, another right turn makes her face south. Travelling 35 km south moves her to (30, 20 - 35) = (30, -15).Step 4: From facing south, a left turn leads to facing east. Walking 15 km east changes the position to (45, -15).Step 5: From facing east, another left turn leads to facing north. Walking 15 km north moves her to (45, 0).Step 6: The final coordinates are (45, 0). The starting point was (0, 0). Therefore, Anitha is 45 km to the east of her starting point and at the same north south level.

Verification / Alternative check:
We can separately track north south and east west components. Total northward distance is 20 km from the first leg plus 15 km from the last leg, giving 35 km north. Total southward distance is 35 km. Thus the vertical components cancel completely, leaving no net north south displacement. For the horizontal direction, she walks 30 km east and then another 15 km east, with no westward leg, so the net horizontal displacement is 45 km east. Consequently, her final direction relative to the starting point is purely east.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (South) would be correct only if southward movements exceeded northward ones. Option B (North) would require a net positive vertical displacement, which is not the case because north and south distances balance. Option D (West) reverses the actual direction of horizontal displacement. Only option C, east, correctly reflects the fact that the net movement is entirely eastward from the starting point.

Common Pitfalls:
One common error is losing track of the current facing direction after multiple turns, especially left and right chains. Another is neglecting to cancel opposite movements in the same axis. Drawing a simple schematic or using plus and minus signs for north south and east west distances helps maintain clarity. Candidates should practise a few similar problems to make this systematic approach automatic.

Final Answer:
At the end of the described journey, Anitha is to the east of her starting point, so the correct option is “East”.