A person facing the East travels 4 km straight and then turns right and travels 3 km, then further turns left and travels 2 km an…

Mental Ability & Logical Reasoning ·Previously asked in UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026

View the full solved paper: GS Paper II

Question

A person facing the East travels 4 km straight and then turns right and travels 3 km, then further turns left and travels 2 km and finally turns left and travels 3 km. The minimum distance between the final point and the initial point, and the direction in which the person is facing at the final point are, respectively

  1. A. 12 km, East
  2. B. 6 km, East
  3. C. 8 km, North
  4. D. 6 km, North (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — 6 km, North

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option D (6 km, North).

Key Points

  • Facing East: go 4 (East) → (4, 0); turn right = South, go 3 → (4, −3); turn left = East, go 2 → (6, −3); turn left = North, go 3 → (6, 0).
  • Final point is (6, 0): straight-line distance from the start is 6 km, and after the last left turn the person faces North.

Additional Information

  • The north–south moves (−3 then +3) cancel, leaving a net 6 km east displacement with a northward facing → Option D.