UPSC CSAT Simplified: How to approach the ‘Directions’ topic?

First, let us assume a man standing with his face in the southward direction, as shown in the figure below:

Image courtesy: Mudit Gupta

The image depicts a clock behind the man intentionally to make the concept easier for you. (For now, let’s keep in mind that the man is facing the southward direction).

Let us say, we are asked to rotate the man by 90 degrees in the clockwise direction. Clockwise means that if the person is sitting at 6’o clock, he needs to rotate towards 9’o clock.

Image courtesy: Mudit Gupta

In the figure given above, we see the initial and the final position of the man. Initially, he was sitting at the 6’o clock facing the South and then, after getting rotated by 90 degrees in the clockwise direction, he is facing towards the West direction. Finally, his face is in the West direction.

This was quite simple. How about a rotation of 135 degrees? Let us say a man is sitting with his face in the Southward direction and is asked to rotate in the clockwise direction by 135 degrees. After rotation by 135 degrees in the clockwise direction, in which direction will he be facing?

Image courtesy: Mudit Gupta

We can simply break 135 degrees into (90+45) degrees. In the figure given above, the black line represents the 90-degree mark. After 90 degrees rotation, we need to rotate the man further by 45 degrees. Consequently, from the diagram given above, he will be facing the North-West direction.

Let us consider another case wherein a man is sitting at 3’o clock with his face in the Eastward direction.

Image courtesy: Mudit Gupta

Now let us consider the following question. If the man is rotated by 225 degrees in the anti-clockwise direction, in which direction will he be finally facing?

Firstly, anti-clockwise means that the man is supposed to go from 3’o clock to 12’o clock. Now let us break 225 degrees into (180+45) degrees. It means we first have to rotate the man by 180 degrees in the anti-clockwise direction and then further rotate him by 45 degrees in the anti-clockwise direction.

On rotating the man by 180 degrees we get:

Image courtesy: Mudit Gupta

Please remember that we have to rotate the man by a cumulative of 225 degrees. So, after rotating him by 180 degrees, 45 degrees still remain in the counter clockwise direction. Currently, after rotating by 180 degrees in the anti-clockwise direction, the man is facing the West direction. Now, as we further rotate him by 45 degrees in the anti-clockwise direction we get:

Image courtesy: Mudit Gupta

So, the man is finally facing in the South-West direction.

Check your progress:

Using the above concepts  answer the following question:

If the man is facing in the North direction and he is asked to rotate by 405 degrees in the clockwise direction, in which direction will he be facing finally?

Previous Article in the UPSC CSAT Simplified series:

How to approach Reading Comprehensions?

How to approach ‘Cubes and Dice’ questions?

How to approach ‘Calendar’ questions? (Part 1)

6 Tips to score 66.67 and qualify Prelims 2024 CSAT paper

How to approach ‘Calendar’ questions? (Part 2)

Tips on Reading Comprehension passages

UPSC CSAT Simplified: How to approach the Clock Problem? (Part 1)

(About our Expert: Mudit Gupta has been a mentor and faculty for the UPSC Civil Services exam for 8 years with expertise in CSAT, Polity, International Relations, and Current Affairs. He is known to break complex concepts into simpler ones that allow UPSC aspirants to develop a grip over the subject matter.)

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