If south-East becomes North, North-East becomes West and so on. What will West become?

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (shift-2)

Explanation

The core logic of the puzzle is a consistent rotational shift of the compass directions.
The first statement, 'South-East becomes North', establishes a 135-degree counter-clockwise rotation (moving from 135° to 0°).
The second statement, 'North-East becomes West', confirms this pattern (moving from 45° to 270°, which is also a 135-degree counter-clockwise shift).
Applying this 135-degree counter-clockwise rotation to West (270°) results in a new position at 135° (270° - 135° = 135°).
On a standard compass, the 135° mark corresponds to the South-East direction.

Option A: This would imply a 90-degree clockwise rotation from West, which does not match the established 135-degree counter-clockwise pattern.
Option B: This would imply a 45-degree clockwise rotation from West, which is inconsistent with the given transformations.
Option D: This would imply a 45-degree counter-clockwise rotation from West, which contradicts the 135-degree rotation pattern.

Visual 1: Diagram: A compass rose showing the original directions and arrows indicating the 135° counter-clockwise rotation for each point (SE to N, NE to W, and W to SE). This visual would make the spatial transformation easy to understand.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Directional Reasoning and Spatial Orientation as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
While not a clinical question, this type of logical reasoning is a foundational skill for nurses.
Nurses use critical thinking and pattern recognition daily to assess patient conditions, interpret data, and make sound clinical judgments.
Problem-solving skills are essential for troubleshooting equipment, managing complex patient needs, and adapting to unexpected changes in a clinical setting.

How to Approach the Question

First, visualize or sketch a standard compass with the eight main directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) and their corresponding degrees (0°, 45°, 90°, etc.).
Analyze the first given transformation (e.g., 'South-East becomes North') to determine the angle and direction of rotation.
Confirm this rotation pattern using the second transformation provided ('North-East becomes West').
Once the pattern is confirmed (a 135° counter-clockwise shift), apply this exact transformation to the direction in the question ('West').
Calculate the new angular position (270° - 135° = 135°).
Identify the compass direction that corresponds to the new angle (135° is South-East) to find the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full AIIMS Raipur - 2017 (shift-2)

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