CET Actual 2025: Direction Sense Mastery
Cetking Shortcut: Coordinate Tracking
Instead of drawing complex diagrams, use the N-E-S-W axis. Treat North and East as positive (+), South and West as negative (-).
For Shortest Distance, use: Triplets
Krishna walked 20 m towards the north. Then he turned right and walked 30 m. Then he turned right and walked 35 m. Then he turned left and walked 15 m. Finally he turns left and went 15 m. In which direction and how many meters is Krishna compared to from the starting position?
Correct Option: E) 45m east
Rationale: Track coordinates: N20 → E30 → S35 → E15 → N15.
Vertical: 20 (N) – 35 (S) + 15 (N) = 0. Horizontal: 30 (E) + 15 (E) = 45 (E).
Net horizontal = 45 east; Vertical cancels out completely.
Rationale: Track coordinates: N20 → E30 → S35 → E15 → N15.
Vertical: 20 (N) – 35 (S) + 15 (N) = 0. Horizontal: 30 (E) + 15 (E) = 45 (E).
Net horizontal = 45 east; Vertical cancels out completely.
A stream which flows from west to east in the middle turns left. Further, then it comes across an island and goes around it in an anti-clock manner to take a quarter circle of the island. Then it takes a right from that direction. Determine that finally in which direction is the stream flowing?
Correct Option: E) north
Rationale: Start East → Left turn = North → anti-clockwise quarter circle from North = West.
From West, taking a right turn → North.
Final direction = North.
Rationale: Start East → Left turn = North → anti-clockwise quarter circle from North = West.
From West, taking a right turn → North.
Final direction = North.
If southeast becomes east and northwest becomes west and all the other directions are changed in the same way, then what will be the direction for north?
Correct Option: A) north west
Rationale: Direction shift = 45° anticlockwise mapping (SE maps to E, NW maps to W).
Applying the same rotation, North moves to the previous position of North-West.
The new direction for North is North-West.
Rationale: Direction shift = 45° anticlockwise mapping (SE maps to E, NW maps to W).
Applying the same rotation, North moves to the previous position of North-West.
The new direction for North is North-West.
Ajoy stood facing East. He walks 10m, turns left, walks 5m, turns right, walks 2m. What is the shortest distance between start and end point, and what direction is Ajoy facing?
Correct Option: A) 13m, North
Rationale: Horizontal distance = 10 (E) + 2 (E) = 12m. Vertical distance = 5m (N).
Distance = $\sqrt{12^2 + 5^2} = \sqrt{144 + 25} = 13$m.
Final turn was right from North, but turn analysis shows he is facing North at the end.
Rationale: Horizontal distance = 10 (E) + 2 (E) = 12m. Vertical distance = 5m (N).
Distance = $\sqrt{12^2 + 5^2} = \sqrt{144 + 25} = 13$m.
Final turn was right from North, but turn analysis shows he is facing North at the end.
A child is looking for his father. He went 90 metres in the East before turning to his right. He went 20 metres before turning to his right again to look for his father at his uncle’s place 30 metres from this point. His father was not there. From here he went 100 metres to the North before meeting his father in a street. How far did the son meet his father from the starting point?
Correct Option: B) 100m
Rationale: Net East = 90 – 30 = 60m. Net North = 100 – 20 = 80m.
Shortest Distance = $\sqrt{60^2 + 80^2} = \sqrt{3600 + 6400} = \sqrt{10000} = 100$m.
The son meets the father 100m from the starting point.
Rationale: Net East = 90 – 30 = 60m. Net North = 100 – 20 = 80m.
Shortest Distance = $\sqrt{60^2 + 80^2} = \sqrt{3600 + 6400} = \sqrt{10000} = 100$m.
The son meets the father 100m from the starting point.
A clock is so placed that at 12 noon its minute hand points towards northeast. In which direction does its hour hand point at 1:30 p.m.?
Correct Option: 5) North-East
Rationale: At 12 noon, hands are together at 12. 12 is aligned to North-East.
At 1:30, the hour hand is between 1 and 2. Since 12 is NE, the hour hand remains in the North-East quadrant.
Final direction = North-East.
Rationale: At 12 noon, hands are together at 12. 12 is aligned to North-East.
At 1:30, the hour hand is between 1 and 2. Since 12 is NE, the hour hand remains in the North-East quadrant.
Final direction = North-East.
If a man is facing west and turns 45° clockwise, then 180° clockwise, and then 270° counterclockwise. In which direction is he facing now?
Correct Option: 2) South-West
Rationale: Start West → +45° (CW) = NW → +180° (CW) = SE → -270° (ACW) = SW.
Calculation: West (-90°) + 45° + 180° – 270° = West – 45° = SW.
Final direction = South-West.
Rationale: Start West → +45° (CW) = NW → +180° (CW) = SE → -270° (ACW) = SW.
Calculation: West (-90°) + 45° + 180° – 270° = West – 45° = SW.
Final direction = South-West.
