Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs): Compass directions, turns and instructions
Part of the Year 6 Maths reasoning (SATs) position and coordinates chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Compass directions, turns and instructions
Rule
The compass directions in order, going clockwise, are North, East, South, West.
A quarter turn clockwise moves one step along that list; anticlockwise moves one step back.
Key ideas
- Clockwise: North, East, South, West, then back to North.
- A quarter turn is a right angle; four quarter turns make a full turn.
- Give instructions in a clear order: direction, then distance.
Method. Use the compass order North, East, South, West.
- Put the directions in order. Clockwise from North: North, East, South, West.North -> East -> South -> West
- Turn 1 quarter turn(s) clockwise. Start at North and move 1 place(s) along the list.North -> East
- Write the answer. East
Check. Four quarter turns bring you back to North. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a quarter turn. Turning clockwise goes North, East, South, West.
Method. Use the compass order North, East, South, West.
- Put the directions in order. Clockwise from North: North, East, South, West.North -> East -> South -> West
- Turn 1 quarter turn(s) anticlockwise. Start at West and move 1 place(s) along the list.West -> South
- Write the answer. South
Check. Four quarter turns bring you back to West. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a quarter turn. Turning clockwise goes North, East, South, West.
Method. Use the compass order North, East, South, West.
- Put the directions in order. Clockwise from North: North, East, South, West.North -> East -> South -> West
- Turn 3 quarter turn(s) clockwise. Start at East and move 3 place(s) along the list.East -> North
- Write the answer. North
Check. Four quarter turns bring you back to East. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a quarter turn. Turning clockwise goes North, East, South, West.
Watch out
Watch out. After West, a clockwise turn gives North, not South. Check the order each time.
Exam tip
Practice guide. Draw the four compass points on a small circle, then move your finger round the turns.
Exercise 6E Practice: compass directions and instructions
Non-calculatorMethod. Use the compass order North, East, South, West.
- Put the directions in order. Clockwise from North: North, East, South, West.North -> East -> South -> West
- Turn 2 quarter turn(s) clockwise. Start at South and move 2 place(s) along the list.South -> North
- Write the answer. North
Check. Four quarter turns bring you back to South. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a quarter turn. Turning clockwise goes North, East, South, West.
Method. Use the compass order North, East, South, West.
- Put the directions in order. Clockwise from North: North, East, South, West.North -> East -> South -> West
- Turn 2 quarter turn(s) anticlockwise. Start at East and move 2 place(s) along the list.East -> West
- Write the answer. West
Check. Four quarter turns bring you back to East. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a quarter turn. Turning clockwise goes North, East, South, West.
Method. Use the compass order North, East, South, West.
- Put the directions in order. Clockwise from North: North, East, South, West.North -> East -> South -> West
- Turn 4 quarter turn(s) clockwise. Start at North and move 4 place(s) along the list.North -> North
- Write the answer. North
Check. Four quarter turns bring you back to North. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a quarter turn. Turning clockwise goes North, East, South, West.
Method. Use the compass order North, East, South, West.
- Put the directions in order. Clockwise from North: North, East, South, West.North -> East -> South -> West
- Turn 3 quarter turn(s) anticlockwise. Start at South and move 3 place(s) along the list.South -> West
- Write the answer. West
Check. Four quarter turns bring you back to South. ✓
Watch out. A right angle is a quarter turn. Turning clockwise goes North, East, South, West.
Method. Right adds to x; up adds to y.
- Move right. 1 + 3 = 4.x = 4
- Move up. 1 + 2 = 3.y = 3
- Write the point. The robot is at (4, 3).(4, 3)
- Write the answer. (4, 3)
Check. (1 + 3, 1 + 2) = (4, 3). ✓
Method. Test each choice against the question.
- Read what the question asks. Decide what the answer must do or show.
- Test the choice. A quarter turn is 90 degrees, which is a right angle.a quarter turn fits
- Reject the other choices. A half turn is 180 degrees and a full turn is 360 degrees.a half turn and a full turn do not fit
- Write the answer. a quarter turn
Check. a quarter turn is the one that fits. ✓
Method. A half turn is two quarter turns.
- Count the turns. A half turn is two quarter turns.2
- Move two places. North -> East -> South.South
- Write the answer. South
Check. North, East, South. ✓
Method. Give the directions in order.
- First leg. Walk east for 4 squares.4 east
- Second leg. Turn to face north and walk 2 squares.2 north
- Write the answer. Walk 4 squares east, then turn left and walk 2 squares north.
Check. East then north reaches the library. ✓
Method. Anticlockwise from East is North.
- Compass order. Clockwise: North, East, South, West. Anticlockwise goes back one place.East -> North
- Answer. Facing North.North
- Write the answer. North
Check. Anticlockwise from East is North. ✓
Method. Negative x is west; positive y is north.
- x. x = -3 is 3 squares west.west 3
- y. y = 2 is 2 squares north.north 2
- Write the answer. west 3, north 2
Check. (-3, 2) is 3 west and 2 north. ✓
Method. Test each option.
- Check each option. Test each one against the rule or the calculation.
- Tick the true ones. Going from (0, 0) to (3, -2) means 3 right and 2 down.3 right and 2 down
- Leave the others unticked. These do not match.3 right and 2 up, 2 right and 3 down, 3 left and 2 down are not ticked
- Write the answer. 3 right and 2 down
Check. Each ticked option is true. ✓
Watch out. Only one of the four instructions lands on (3, -2).
Method. Add the move to the x-coordinate and the y-coordinate of each vertex.
- Read the move. Every vertex moves 3 right and 2 down.add 3 to x and -2 to y
- Move each vertex. Add the move to each coordinate pair.(-1, 0) -> (2, -2) ; (1, 0) -> (4, -2) ; (0, 2) -> (3, 0)
- Write the new coordinates. The shape has the same size and shape, only its position changes.(2, -2), (4, -2), (3, 0)
- Write the answer. (2, -2), (4, -2), (3, 0)
Check. Each new point is 3 right and 2 down from the old one. ✓
Watch out. A translation slides the shape. Its size and shape stay the same.
Method. Count the degrees.
- One quarter turn. Each quarter turn is 90 degrees.90
- Four quarter turns. 4 x 90 = 360 degrees, a full turn.360
- Write the answer. Because each quarter turn is 90 degrees, and four quarter turns make 360 degrees, a full turn.
Check. 4 x 90 = 360. ✓