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Topic guide: Directions and shortest displacement

Track movement on north-south and east-west axes, separate total distance from shortest displacement and use a coordinate sketch to handle turns without relying on mental rotation alone.

01 / 03Learn with a clear direction

2 min read Original learning material · Prepared 14 Oct 2026

This is an independent topic guide, not the official syllabus. Compare it with the current paper outline and rules published by the examination authority.

01 / UNDERSTANDING

Learning objectives

Cover left-right turns, compass directions, coordinates and displacement. The learning objective is to keep orientation separate from position and use geometry only on the resulting net components.

02 / UNDERSTANDING

The concept in context

Direction problems combine orientation changes with movement. Fix north on the page and use horizontal and vertical coordinates to track the final position. Turning changes the facing direction, while moving changes position. A question about final facing therefore differs from one about displacement from the starting point.

03 / UNDERSTANDING

A worked learning case

Original educational case. A learner walks three kilometres north and four kilometres east in an original route. Total travel is seven kilometres, while the shortest distance from the start is five kilometres by the 3–4–5 triangle. If the learner then walks three kilometres south, the final point is four kilometres east of the start despite ten kilometres of travel.

ORIGINAL EDUCATIONAL PRACTICE

Try it before you check.

Original practice: Walk 5 m east, 3 m north and 5 m west. What is the shortest distance and direction from the start?

Show the answer and reasoning

3 m north.

The east and west movements cancel because they have equal length in opposite directions. The only net movement is three metres north, so the final displacement is 3 m north. The total path length is 13 m, but the question asks the direct relation between the starting and finishing positions.

Two traps to watch for.

  • Answering with total path length instead of displacement.
  • Changing north on the page after the traveller turns.

YOUR TOPIC-SPECIFIC LEARNING MAP

Your revision map

  1. Fix compass axes before tracing.

  2. Track facing and position separately.

  3. Cancel opposite net movements before measuring displacement.

Explain the idea, apply it to a new situation, then check what changed in your reasoning.

BANKERS TUTORIAL · SOURCE NOTES

Keep the source alongside your notes.

Official links provide subject context and authoritative reference material. This guide’s explanation, scenario and question are original Bankers Tutorial learning content.

  1. sbi.bank.in https://sbi.bank.in/web/careers/current-openings
  2. sbi.bank.in https://sbi.bank.in/webfiles/uploads/files_2627/09/SBI_JA-Customer_Support_Sales-IH_Pre-2026-27_Eng.pdf

For SBI preparation, check the current official notice before relying on changing dates, rules or examination requirements.

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