Cardinal directions are the four main directions used to describe location and movement on Earth: north, east, south, and west. They help people read maps, give directions, describe landforms, and understand where places are in relation to one another. On most maps, north is placed at the top, which makes it easier to compare different maps and follow a route.
Learning these directions builds a foundation for geography, geometry, navigation, and earth science.
Key Facts
- The four cardinal directions are N = North, E = East, S = South, and W = West.
- On most maps, north is at the top, east is to the right, south is at the bottom, and west is to the left.
- Opposite directions: North is opposite South, and East is opposite West.
- A full turn around a compass is 360 degrees.
- Angles between neighboring cardinal directions are 90 degrees, such as North to East or East to South.
- A map scale can convert map distance to real distance, such as 1 cm = 10 km.
Vocabulary
- Cardinal directions
- The four main directions on a compass: north, east, south, and west.
- Compass rose
- A map symbol that shows directions, usually including north, east, south, and west.
- Map grid
- A pattern of horizontal and vertical lines used to locate places on a map.
- Orientation
- The way a map is turned or aligned with directions in the real world.
- Scale
- A map feature that shows how a distance on the map compares with a real-world distance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming north is always the direction you are facing is wrong because north is a fixed geographic direction, not a personal viewpoint.
- Ignoring the compass rose can lead to wrong directions because some maps are rotated and may not place north at the top.
- Mixing up east and west is wrong because east is to the right and west is to the left when north is at the top of a standard map.
- Using map distance as real distance is wrong because maps are reduced models and must be interpreted with the scale.
Practice Questions
- 1 A map has north at the top. A school is 4 grid squares east and 3 grid squares south of a park. If each grid square represents 2 km, how far east and how far south is the school from the park in kilometers?
- 2 On a map, 1 cm represents 5 km. A trail runs 6 cm north and then 2 cm west. How many kilometers north and west does the trail go?
- 3 A map is rotated so the compass rose shows north pointing toward the right side of the page. Explain how you would decide which way is east, south, and west on that map.