Directions (North, South, East, West)
Understanding directions is an essential skill for reading maps, navigating, and describing locations. The four main directions are North (N), South (S), East (E), and West (W).
In Class 5, you learn to use directions along with intermediate directions (North-East, North-West, South-East, South-West), describe paths between locations, and solve direction-based problems on simple maps.
Directions are used in everyday life — giving directions to someone's house, reading a city map, or understanding a compass.
What is Directions (North, South, East, West) - Class 5 Maths (Maps and Directions)?
Cardinal Directions are the four main directions:
- North (N) — upward on a map
- South (S) — downward on a map
- East (E) — to the right on a map
- West (W) — to the left on a map
Intermediate Directions are between the cardinal directions:
- North-East (NE) — between North and East
- North-West (NW) — between North and West
- South-East (SE) — between South and East
- South-West (SW) — between South and West
A compass is a tool that shows directions. The compass needle always points North.
Directions (North, South, East, West) Formula
Direction relationships:
| Direction | Opposite Direction |
|---|---|
| North | South |
| East | West |
| North-East | South-West |
| North-West | South-East |
Turns:
- A quarter turn (90°) clockwise from North → East
- A half turn (180°) from North → South
- A three-quarter turn (270°) clockwise from North → West
- A full turn (360°) from North → back to North
Solved Examples
Example 1: Example 1: Identifying Directions
Problem: On a map, the school is at the centre. The park is directly above the school. In which direction is the park?
Solution:
On a map, "above" means North.
Answer: The park is to the North of the school.
Example 2: Example 2: Opposite Direction
Problem: Ria walks East from her house. In which direction should she walk to return home?
Solution:
The opposite of East is West.
Answer: Ria should walk West to return home.
Example 3: Example 3: Map Reading
Problem: On a simple map, the hospital is North of the market, and the bus stop is East of the market. In which direction is the bus stop from the hospital?
Solution:
The hospital is above the market (North). The bus stop is to the right of the market (East). From the hospital, the bus stop is diagonally down-right.
Answer: The bus stop is to the South-East of the hospital.
Example 4: Example 4: Following Directions
Problem: Aman starts from his house and walks 3 blocks North, then 2 blocks East, then 3 blocks South. Where does he end up relative to his house?
Solution:
Step 1: 3 blocks North (moves up)
Step 2: 2 blocks East (moves right)
Step 3: 3 blocks South (moves down — cancels the North movement)
Net: 2 blocks East of his house.
Answer: Aman is 2 blocks East of his house.
Example 5: Example 5: Clockwise Turns
Problem: Priya faces North. She makes a quarter turn clockwise. Which direction does she face now?
Solution:
Quarter turn clockwise from North: N → E
Answer: Priya faces East.
Example 6: Example 6: Half Turn
Problem: Kavi faces South-West. He makes a half turn. Which direction does he face?
Solution:
Half turn (180°) from South-West → opposite direction = North-East.
Answer: Kavi faces North-East.
Example 7: Example 7: Path Description
Problem: To go from the library to the post office, Aditi walks 4 blocks East and 3 blocks South. Describe the direction of the post office from the library.
Solution:
Moving East and South means the overall direction is South-East.
Answer: The post office is to the South-East of the library.
Example 8: Example 8: Compass Needle
Problem: If the compass needle points North, and you are facing the compass, where is East?
Solution:
When looking at a compass with North at the top, East is on the right side.
Answer: East is to your right.
Example 9: Example 9: Sunrise and Sunset
Problem: Dev stands facing the sunrise. Which direction is he facing? What is behind him?
Solution:
The sun rises in the East. So Dev faces East.
Behind him (opposite of East) is West.
To his left is North. To his right is South.
Answer: Dev faces East. Behind him is West.
Example 10: Example 10: Multiple Turns
Problem: Meera faces North. She turns 90° clockwise, then 90° clockwise again. Which direction does she face?
Solution:
Step 1: North → 90° clockwise → East
Step 2: East → 90° clockwise → South
Answer: Meera faces South.
Key Points to Remember
- The four cardinal directions are North, South, East, and West.
- The four intermediate directions are NE, NW, SE, and SW.
- North and South are opposite. East and West are opposite.
- On a standard map, North is up, South is down, East is right, West is left.
- A compass needle always points North.
- The sun rises in the East and sets in the West.
- A quarter turn = 90°, half turn = 180°, full turn = 360°.
Practice Problems
- On a map, the temple is South of the lake. In which direction is the lake from the temple?
- Rahul faces West. He turns 90° clockwise. Which direction does he face now?
- Neha walks 5 blocks North, 3 blocks West, and 5 blocks South. How far and in which direction is she from the start?
- Name the direction that is opposite to North-West.
- Arjun faces East. He makes two quarter turns clockwise. Which direction does he face?
- A school is NE of the park. In which direction is the park from the school?
- If you face the sunrise and turn 90° to your left, which direction are you facing?
- Draw a compass rose showing all 8 directions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What are the four cardinal directions?
The four cardinal directions are North (N), South (S), East (E), and West (W). They are the four main points on a compass.
Q2. What are intermediate directions?
Intermediate directions lie between the cardinal directions: North-East (NE), North-West (NW), South-East (SE), and South-West (SW).
Q3. How does a compass work?
A compass has a magnetic needle that always points towards the North Pole of the Earth. Once you know North, you can find all other directions.
Q4. Which direction does the sun rise from?
The sun rises in the East and sets in the West. This is a natural way to identify directions without a compass.
Q5. What is a quarter turn?
A quarter turn is a 90° rotation. From North, a quarter turn clockwise takes you to East. Another quarter turn takes you to South.
Q6. How do you find North at night?
In the Northern Hemisphere, the Pole Star (Polaris) is always in the North. Locate the Pole Star to find the North direction.
Q7. What does it mean to go NE?
Going NE (North-East) means moving in a direction that is halfway between North and East — diagonally upward and to the right on a map.
Q8. Why is North always at the top of a map?
This is a convention (standard practice) adopted worldwide. It makes maps consistent and easy to read. However, not all historical maps placed North at the top.
