Clock hands as directions — Aptitude Question
Clock hands as directions: At 3 o'clock, the minute hand points north. Which direction does the hour hand point? Answer and worked solution on CodeKairo.
- Topic: Direction Sense
- Section: Logical Reasoning
- Difficulty: Medium
- Time target: 60 seconds
Question
At 3 o'clock, the minute hand points north. Which direction does the hour hand point?
Options
- North
- South
- East
- West
Show the answer and the worked solution
Correct answer: C. East
Worked solution
- At 3 o'clock the minute hand is at 12 (north) and the hour hand at 3.
- Three is a quarter turn clockwise from twelve, which is east.
Answer: East.
The idea
Map the clock face onto the compass: 12 is north, 3 is east, 6 is south and 9 is west when the minute hand starts at north.
Shortcut. With 12 at north the dial is a compass read clockwise, so 3 sits a quarter turn clockwise: east.
Common trap. "West" — turning a quarter anticlockwise from north, as if 3 sat on the left of the dial; clockwise from north gives east.