A man walks 5 km toward south and then turns to the left. After walking 4 km he turns to the left and walks 5 km. Now how much distance from the starting point?

Appeared in: SGPGI Nursing Officer-2023

Explanation

The man's final position is 4 km to the east of his starting point.
The initial 5 km walk to the south is completely nullified by the final 5 km walk to the north.
The net displacement from the starting point is determined solely by the 4 km walk to the east.
Displacement is the shortest straight-line distance between the initial and final points, which in this case is 4 km.

Option A: This value represents the magnitude of the north and south movements, not the final displacement from the origin.
Option C: This is the simple sum of the last two segments of the walk (4 km + 5 km). Displacement is not calculated by adding path lengths this way.
Option D: This is the total distance traveled (5 km + 4 km + 5 km), not the displacement (the shortest distance from the starting point).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Direction and Distance Reasoning as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a logical reasoning question designed to test spatial awareness and problem-solving skills.
While not directly clinical, these cognitive skills are essential for nurses in tasks like navigating a hospital, locating equipment, and understanding spatial relationships in patient care.
What if the man turned right the second time instead of left? He would have walked 5 km south, 4 km east, and then 5 km south again. His final position would be 10 km south and 4 km east of the start. The distance would be the hypotenuse of the triangle: √(10² + 4²) = √116 ≈ 10.77 km.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the starting point and treat it as the origin (0,0).
Break down the journey into individual movements, noting the direction and distance for each step.
Visualize or sketch the path. Use 'North' as up, 'South' as down, 'East' as right, and 'West' as left.
Keep track of the cardinal directions. Remember that turning left from South faces you East, and turning left from East faces you North.
Calculate the net movement. Notice that movements in opposite directions (like South and North) cancel each other out.
Determine the final position relative to the start and calculate the shortest straight-line distance (displacement).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full SGPGI Nursing Officer-2023

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.