Shankar walks 10 m forward, then turns left and covers 6 m, then turns right and covers 20 m. It is given that on this last leg he is moving toward the South. From which initial facing direction did Shankar start his journey?

Introduction / Context:
Direction-sense puzzles often give a sequence of turns and ask you to infer either the final facing or, as in this case, the original facing. The key is that relative turns (left/right) are applied to the current facing, so some sequences can cancel out and reveal the starting orientation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Leg 1: walk 10 m in the initial facing direction (unknown).
• Leg 2: turn left and walk 6 m.
• Leg 3: turn right and walk 20 m.
• On leg 3 he is moving toward the South.

Concept / Approach:
Track only the facing directions. A left turn followed by a right turn returns you to the original facing. Therefore, if the last leg is to the South, the original facing must also have been South.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Let the initial facing be F0.After a left turn: facing becomes Left(F0).After a right turn from there: facing becomes Right(Left(F0)) = F0.Given that the last leg heads South ⇒ F0 = South.

Verification / Alternative check:
Test with concrete compass starts (e.g., start South → left = East → right = South). The last leg indeed points South, matching the statement.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• East/West/North would make the last leg East/West/North respectively after the canceling turns, contradicting the given Southward final leg.

Common Pitfalls:
Tracking positions instead of facings; overcomplicating with coordinates when only orientation matters.

Final Answer:
South