Early one morning Priya is standing in an open field, and her shadow falls exactly to her right. Which direction is she facing?
South. In the morning the sun is in the east, so shadows fall towards the west. If west is on her right, she must be facing south.
Explain it simply
Shadow questions rely on one fact: the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, so morning shadows point west and evening shadows point east. (At noon in India the sun is high and shadows are short, so tests avoid noon.) Once you know which way the shadow points, work out which way the person must face for that to be on the stated side.
Example
Question: Morning, shadow falls to Priya's right. Which way is she facing?
- Morning: sun in the east, shadow towards the west.
- The shadow is on her right, so her right hand points west.
- Facing south, your right hand points west. So she faces south.
Quick table (morning, shadow pointing west):
| Shadow is on her | She faces |
|---|---|
| Right | South |
| Left | North |
| Front | West |
| Back | East |
In the evening, swap: shadows point east, so a shadow to the right means she faces north.
What to say in the interview
"Morning shadows point west. If west is on her right, she is facing south. In the evening it would be the opposite: north."
Common mistakes
- Putting the morning shadow towards the east, where the sun is.
- Mixing up left and right when imagining facing south; use your own hands to check.