A man is facing east. He turns 135° clockwise, then 90° anticlockwise. Which direction is he facing now?

Question

A man is facing east. He turns 135° clockwise, then 90° anticlockwise. Which direction is he facing now?

1. A. South
2. B. South-East (Correct answer)
3. C. South-West
4. D. East

Correct Answer

Option B — B

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option B.

Key Points

• Start facing East.
• Turn 135° clockwise: from East (90°) clockwise by 135° lands at 90 + 135 = 225°, which is South-West.
• Then 90° anticlockwise: 225 − 90 = 135°, which is South-East.
• So the man ends up facing South-East.

Exam Tip

• fix compass bearings as degrees clockwise from North — N=0°, E=90°, S=180°, W=270° — add for clockwise turns, subtract for anticlockwise, then read the direction.

Additional Information

• Treat directions as degrees on a compass — N=0°, E=90°, S=180°, W=270° — then add for clockwise turns and subtract for anticlockwise, taking the result modulo 360.
• The eight-point compass adds the intercardinals at 45° intervals: NE 45°, SE 135°, SW 225°, NW 315°.
• Sketching the turns is faster than arithmetic when there are only two or three of them.