A nurse starts from the nursing station and walks 10m North, then turns Right and walks 5m, then turns Right again and walks 10m. In which direction is she from the starting point?

Appeared in: RML MAINS 2025

Explanation

The nurse's path involves three distinct movements: 10m North, followed by 5m East, and finally 10m South.
The initial 10-meter walk to the North is completely cancelled out by the final 10-meter walk to the South.
This results in a net displacement of zero in the North-South axis, meaning the nurse ends up on the same horizontal line as the starting point.
The only movement that is not cancelled is the 5-meter walk to the East. Therefore, the nurse's final position is directly East of where she started.

Option A: This is incorrect because the final 10m walk to the South directly opposes and cancels the initial 10m walk to the North, resulting in no net northward displacement.
Option B: This is incorrect because the nurse returns to the same North-South level as the starting point. She does not travel any distance south of her initial position.
Option D: This is incorrect because the nurse makes two right turns. A right turn from a North-facing direction leads East. To go West, she would have needed to make a left turn from the initial Northward direction.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Directional Sense and Spatial Reasoning helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
While not a clinical question, spatial reasoning is a crucial non-technical skill for nurses. Efficiently navigating large, complex hospital layouts is essential for timely response to emergencies (e.g., a code blue) and for routine patient care.
A nurse's ability to give clear and accurate directions to patients, family members, or new staff members relies on good spatial awareness and is a key part of effective communication in a healthcare setting.
What if? If the nurse had turned left at the second turn instead of right, her path would be: 10m North, then 5m East, then 10m North again (a left turn from East is North). Her final position would be 5m East and 20m North of the start, making her direction from the start North-East.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the starting point and establish the cardinal directions (North, South, East, West).
Second, trace each movement step-by-step. Drawing a simple diagram on paper is highly recommended to visualize the path.
Third, carefully track the direction of each turn (Right/Left) relative to the current direction of travel. Remember: a right turn from North is East, a right turn from East is South, and so on.
Finally, calculate the net displacement in both the North-South and East-West axes. The movements in opposite directions (North vs. South) will cancel each other out.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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