A man walks 6 km South, turns left and walks 4 km, again turns left and walks 5 km. which direction is he facing now?

Appeared in: NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-1st

Explanation

The man starts by walking South, so his initial orientation is South.
His first left turn changes his direction from South to East.
His second and final left turn changes his direction from East to North.
Therefore, after walking 5 km in this last leg of his journey, he is facing North.

Option A: This was the initial direction of movement, not the final direction after two subsequent left turns.
Option C: This was the direction the man was facing after his first left turn, but before his second and final turn.
Option D: The man never faces West in this path. A right turn from South or a left turn from North would have resulted in facing West.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Directional Sense and Spatial Reasoning as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general intelligence and reasoning question, not a clinical one, but it tests skills that are useful in a healthcare setting.
Spatial reasoning is important for nurses for tasks like navigating a hospital layout, quickly locating emergency equipment, and understanding anatomical directions (e.g., superior, inferior, anterior, posterior).
What if? If the man had turned right at the second turn instead of left, he would have turned from East to face South again.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the starting direction of movement. In this case, the man walks South.
Second, visualize or draw the cardinal directions (North, East, South, West) as a reference point.
Third, follow each movement and turn sequentially. Remember that a left turn from South points East.
Fourth, apply the next turn based on the new direction. A left turn from East points North.
Finally, state the direction the person is facing after the last described movement to find the answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Directional Sense and Spatial Reasoning
Stem keywords: walks 6 km South, turns left, walks 4 km, walks 5 km, direction facing
Lead-in keywords: which direction

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Practise the full NHM UP Staff Nurse-2021 Shift-1st

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