A person starts from a point, walks 15 metres towards the East, then turns left and walks 10 metres, then turns right and continues walking. Toward which cardinal direction is the person facing now?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: East

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This is a classic direction-sense problem that checks whether you can mentally track turns and headings on a simple grid. You begin with an initial facing, then apply left/right rotations to determine the final direction.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Start facing East and walk 15 m.
  • Turn left (from East) and walk 10 m.
  • Turn right once more and continue. We only need the resulting facing, not distance.
  • Cardinal directions follow the usual right-angle grid: North, East, South, West.


Concept / Approach:
Turning left or right changes facing by 90 degrees relative to the current heading. The path length after the final turn does not affect the heading itself. Keeping a small compass sketch in mind (or on paper) helps.



Step-by-Step Solution:

Initial facing: East.Left turn from East leads to North (first turn).Right turn from North leads to East (second turn).


Verification / Alternative check:
You can encode directions as ordered pairs or as a cycle (N → E → S → W). From East, a left turn goes to North; from North, a right turn returns to East.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • North: This would be true only after the first turn, not after the second.
  • South or West: These require additional turns not present in the description.


Common Pitfalls:
Confusing left/right with respect to the original start facing. Each turn is relative to the current direction.



Final Answer:
East

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