Understand the idea.
Use the north arrow
Find the map’s north arrow before giving a direction. It fixes the compass directions even if the page is turned. South points opposite north; east and west lie at right angles to that line.
Here north points up the page, so east is right, south is down and west is left. Turning the map changes how those directions look on the page, but the arrow still tells you north.
Direction is not distance
A direction tells you which way to travel from the starting place. From Home to Pool, stay in column A and move north. Reverse that journey and the direction becomes south.
A place above and to the right is generally north-east of the start on this map. That description combines north and east; it does not tell the exact angle or the distance in metres.
See the method in action.
Going north
What direction is Pool from Home?
Worked solution
- 1
Locate Home A1 and Pool A4.
Their shared column A shows that neither lies east or west of the other.
- 2
Compare their rows with the north arrow.
Pool is above Home, and the arrow points upwards to north.
- 3
State the direction from Home.
Travelling from the lower place to the upper place is north on this map.
North.
A diagonal description
What general direction is Shop from Home?
Worked solution
- 1
Compare the columns: Home A1 and Shop C2.
Column C lies to the right of column A, giving an eastward movement.
- 2
Compare the rows.
Row 2 lies above row 1, giving a northward movement.
- 3
Combine the two directions as north-east.
Shop lies both north and east of Home; this is a general direction.
North-east.
Try it yourself.
Check your understanding
What direction is Park from Home?
Show answer & reasoning
East.
Home A1 and Park D1 share row 1. Park is to the right of Home, which is east according to the north arrow.
Keep practising
6 worksheet questions · 7 marks
Read the questions online
- What direction is Home from Park?1 mark
- What direction is School from Park?1 mark
- What direction is Park from School?1 mark
- What general direction is School from Home?1 mark
- Which direction is opposite north-west?1 mark
- Why should you check a north arrow before using the top of a map as north?2 marks
Read the worked solutions
Equivalent correct methods earn the corresponding marks. Include units where asked.
- What direction is Home from Park?1 mark
Home lies left of Park on the north-up map.
West. - What direction is School from Park?1 mark
School is above Park in column D.
North. - What direction is Park from School?1 mark
Park lies below School.
South. - What general direction is School from Home?1 mark
School lies both north and east of Home.
North-east. - Which direction is opposite north-west?1 mark
Reverse both north and west.
South-east. - Why should you check a north arrow before using the top of a map as north?2 marks
The arrow specifies the direction accurately.
A map may be rotated, so its top is not always north.
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 / SA Curriculum Mathematics 2026
Letter–number references; positions; directions; pathways.
Official curriculum source ↗