Direction Sense – Reasoning Ability
(For Jammu & Kashmir Patwari / Lekhpal Examination)
1. Simple Explanation
Direction sense is a sub‑branch of reasoning that deals with relative positions of objects/people on a two‑dimensional plane.
- Objective – deduce where a given person/thing is located relative to others using statements like “A is north of B,” “C is to the left of D,” etc.
- Tools – cardinal points (N, S, E, W), diagonal points (NE, NW, SE, SW), and relative terms such as left/right, front/back, and clockwise / anticlockwise.
2. Key Points
| Item | What It Means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cardinal Directions | North (N), South (S), East (E), West (W) | “A is north of B” → A is directly above B. |
| Diagonal Directions | Northeast (NE), Northwest (NW), Southeast (SE), Southwest (SW) | “C is to the right of B and above B” → C is NE of B. |
| Relative Terms | Left, Right, Front, Back, Upper, Lower | “D is left of E” → D is west of E. |
| Clockwise / Anticlockwise (CW/ACW) | Order of positions around a point | If A is CW of B, then moving rightward (clockwise) from B you encounter A. |
| Same Point | Co‑located | “F and G are at the same place.” |
| Distance Not Specified | Only relative position matters | “H is east of I” – distance irrelevant. |
| Transitivity | If A is north of B and B is north of C → A is north of C. | Chain reasoning. |
| Opposite Directions | Opposite of N is S, E is W, NE is SW, etc. | “J is opposite of K” → J is on the opposite side of K. |
| “Between” Statements | One object lies between two others along a line | “L is between M and N” → L lies on the line segment MN. |
| “Next to” / “Adjacent” | Immediate neighbor without gap | “O is next to P” → O is directly beside P (any direction). |
Common Patterns
- Sequential Placement – A is north of B, B is east of C → A is NE of C.
- Cross‑Placement – A is north of B, A is west of C → B is SE of C.
- Circular Arrangement – 7 people sit around a circle; statements like “X is clockwise to Y” help locate all positions.
- Linear Arrangement – Objects placed in a row or column; use “left of” / “right of” or “above” / “below.”
3. Worked Example
Problem
In a room, 7 people (P1…P7) are standing in a straight line from left to right.
- P3 is to the left of P5.
- P1 is to the right of P4.
- P6 is between P1 and P5.
- P2 is directly left of P3.
- P7 is the rightmost.
Find the exact order from left to right.
Step‑by‑Step Solution
| Statement | What it tells us | Positioning |
|---|---|---|
| 1. P3 left of P5 | P3 < P5 | P3 somewhere before P5 |
| 2. P1 right of P4 | P4 < P1 | P4 somewhere before P1 |
| 3. P6 between P1 & P5 | P1 < P6 < P5 | P6 lies between P1 and P5 |
| 4. P2 left of P3 | P2 < P3 | P2 somewhere before P3 |
| 5. P7 rightmost | P7 is at the far right | P7 = last position |
Construct the chain
- From (4): P2 is left of P3.
- From (1): P3 is left of P5.
So far: P2 – P3 – … – P5. - From (3): P6 is between P1 and P5.
Thus P1 must be left of P6 and P6 left of P5.
Insert: P1 – P6 – P5. - From (2): P4 is left of P1.
So far: P4 – P1 – P6 – P5. - We still have P2 and P3 to place.
From (4) P2 < P3, and from (1) P3 < P5.
The only free spot before P4 is the far left.
Thus: P2 – P3 – P4 – P1 – P6 – P5 – P7.
Final Order (Left → Right)
P2, P3, P4, P1, P6, P5, P7
Quick Verification
- P3 left of P5 ✔️
- P1 right of P4 ✔️
- P6 between P1 and P5 ✔️
- P2 left of P3 ✔️
- P7 rightmost ✔️
All conditions satisfied.
4. Quick Revision Summary
| Concept | Remember | Quick Check |
|---|---|---|
| Cardinal & Diagonal | N, S, E, W, NE |