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?
-
ANorth
-
BEast
-
CWest
-
DSouth
Answer
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