UPSC Prelims 2016·CSAT·Logical Reasoning·Arrangement and Puzzles

A person walks 12 km due north, then 15 km due east, after that 19 km due west and then 15 km due south. How far is he from the starting point?

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Last updated 8 Jul 2026, 4:39 pm IST
  1. A5 kmCorrect
  2. B9 km
  3. C37 km
  4. D61 km

Explanation

To find the distance from the starting point, we calculate the net displacement in the North-South and East-West directions.

First, consider the North-South movement. The person walks 12 km North and then 15 km South. The net displacement is 15 minus 12, which equals 3 km South.

Next, consider the East-West movement. The person walks 15 km East and then 19 km West. The net displacement is 19 minus 15, which equals 4 km West.

The person is now at a point 3 km South and 4 km West from the starting point. These two displacements form the two sides of a right-angled triangle.

To find the direct distance from the starting point, we use the Pythagorean theorem: the square root of (3 squared plus 4 squared). This equals the square root of (9 plus 16), which is the square root of 25.

The square root of 25 is 5. Therefore, the person is 5 km away from the starting point.

The correct option is A.

Logical Reasoning: A person walks 12 km due north, then 15 km due east, after that 19 km due west and then 15 km due south. How far is he f
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