Solve this Direction Test question: A person starts from point O, walks 7 m North, then 7 m East, then 12 m South, and finally 19 m West. In which direction and at what shortest distance is the person from O?
Explanation
The verified answer to “Solve this Direction Test question: A person starts from point O, walks 7 m North, then 7 m East, then 12 m South, and finally 19 m West. In which direction and at what shortest distance is the person from O?” is South-West, 13 m, option D. The question-specific working supplied with the item states: Use coordinates with O = (0, 0), East as positive x and North as positive y. Horizontal calculation: the person moves 7 m East and 19 m West, so net x = 7 - 19 = -12 m. Vertical calculation: the person moves 7 m North and 12 m South, so net y = 7 - 12 = -5 m. The signs of (-12, -5) place the final point in the South-West direction. The shortest distance is straight-line displacement: √((-12)² + (-5)²) = √(144 + 25) = √169 = 13 m. Therefore option D, South-West, 13 m, is correct. The opposite-direction option is wrong because it reverses the verified coordinate signs. The option giving 17 m is wrong because it does not use the Pythagorean shortest distance. The West option is wrong because both non-zero coordinate components, or the exact zero component, determine South-West, not a neighbouring compass direction. This working identifies the relevant direction-distance map and connects the given information to the required result. To solve reliably, represent every term, person, seat, letter or operation in the order stated; then apply one rule consistently instead of guessing from the final pair alone. After applying the verified rule, the required value or position is South-West, 13 m. The alternatives North-East, 13 m, South-West, 17 m and West, 13 m fail because each breaks at least one stated condition, transition, direction or arithmetic step.