Spatial Orientation and Map Reading Flashcards

A suspect is running north. After one block he turns left, walks one block, then turns left again. What direction is the suspect now moving?

Answer: South

From north, a left turn faces west; another left turn from west faces south.

You are facing southwest. If you turn 90 degrees clockwise, you are now facing which direction?

Answer: Northwest

Southwest is 225° on a compass; adding 90° clockwise yields 315°, which is northwest.

An officer is 2 blocks north of City Hall. A dispatch call places an incident 3 blocks south of City Hall. How many blocks south must the officer travel to reach the scene?

Answer: 5 blocks

The officer travels 2 blocks south to reach City Hall, then 3 more blocks south to the scene, totaling 5 blocks.

On a map where 1 centimeter equals 0.5 kilometers, two locations appear 6 centimeters apart. What is the actual distance between them?

Answer: 3 km

6 cm × 0.5 km/cm = 3 km actual distance between the two locations.

An officer drives 3 blocks north, then 3 blocks east, then 3 blocks south, then 3 blocks west. Where does the officer end up relative to the starting point?

Answer: At the starting point

Equal distances in opposite directions cancel out: north/south cancel and east/west cancel, returning the officer to the origin.

You are at the intersection of 5th Street and 3rd Avenue. Your destination is 8th Street and 7th Avenue. Traveling only along grid streets, what is the minimum number of blocks you must travel?

Answer: 7 blocks

You need 3 blocks (5th to 8th Street) plus 4 blocks (3rd to 7th Avenue), totaling 7 blocks minimum.

A patrol map shows a crime scene located northeast of the police station. To walk directly from the station to the scene, an officer must travel:

Answer: Both north and east

Northeast indicates the destination is both north and east of the starting point, requiring movement in both directions.