A man starts from a point, walks 5 km towards the east, then turns right and walks 3 km, and then turns right again and continues walking. What is the direction in which he is finally walking?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: West

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This is a pure direction question that focuses only on the final facing direction of the man after a series of right angle turns. Unlike other problems, the exact distances do not affect the orientation. It is a quick test of understanding how successive right turns change a person facing east or south into a different final direction.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The man initially walks 5 km towards the east.
  • From facing east, he turns right and walks 3 km towards the south.
  • He then turns right again and continues walking, now heading towards the west.
  • The problem only asks for his final direction, not his position.


Concept / Approach:
When solving such questions, it is often enough to track orientation only. Starting from east, a right turn leads to south, and another right turn leads to west. Distance values do not change the direction in which the person is facing after the turns, so they can be ignored when determining orientation. Keeping a mental compass rose is very helpful.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Initial direction: east. From east, a right turn leads to south. So after the first turn, he is facing south while walking 3 km. From south, another right turn leads to west. Therefore, after the second right turn, he is facing west and continues in that direction.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can imagine a simple compass: starting from east, rotate clockwise by 90 degrees to reach south. Rotate again clockwise by another 90 degrees to reach west. This confirms that two successive right turns from an initial eastward direction end up pointing west. Drawing a simple diagram with arrows can also provide a quick visual check.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: North would require three right turns from east or a left turn from west, which does not match the description.
Option B: South is the direction after the first right turn, not after the second.
Option D: South west is a diagonal direction, but all moves in this problem are strictly along cardinal directions, so it cannot be correct.
Option E: None of these is wrong because West is clearly the correct final direction and appears as one of the options.


Common Pitfalls:
A typical mistake is to overthink the effect of distances or to imagine turns with respect to the page rather than to the person orientation. Another error is stopping after the first right turn instead of considering both. Always count turns carefully and use a consistent mental or drawn compass.


Final Answer:
The man is finally walking towards the West.

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