Definition of Cardinal Directions
Whenever someone gives directions about how to find a place using the words, "north, south, east, or west," they are naming the four cardinal directions. These words stand for concepts that are understood worldwide. They are intuitive to many people because they correspond to the predictable daily movement of the sun from east to west.
Other People Are Reading
-
Identification
-
Think of the cardinal directions as numbers on a circular clock face. North is the 12; South is the six; East is the three; and West is the nine. These are the four cardinal directions. They often appear designated on a map compass rose in the same configuration with north at the top. This orients the map reader to the relative locations of the places on the map compared to the Earth's surface.
Size
-
The cardinal directions correspond to the angles of a circle. North is at both zero and 360 degrees. South is at 180 degrees. East is at 90 degrees while West is at 270 degrees.
-
Primary & Secondary Intercardinal directions
-
Returning to the circular clock face idea, there are four additional directions called primary inter-cardinal directions. Halfway between North and East is Northeast, at 45 degrees. Halfway between East and South is Southeast, at 135 degrees. Halfway between South and West is Southwest, at 225 degrees; and halfway between West and North is Northwest, at 315 degrees. There are eight more secondary inter-cardinal directions that lie between the primary inter-cardinals, but they are rarely used except in navigation and meteorology.
Expert Insight
-
The cardinal directions were derived from several natural phenomena. A magnetic needle in a compass will always point to the magnetic north pole. The direction of the movement of sun and the other celestial bodies is always from east to west across the sky. The stars also include Polaris, the North Star, which can be used, along with other known constellations, to verify a person's position at night.
Significance
-
Modern instruments make it easy and accurate to find positions on the earth's surface. Many cars and cell phones are equipped with geo-positioning systems that rely on information collected via satellite. While these innovations enhance our ability to locate anyone or anything, the basic code of the cardinal directions remains the foundation for anyone who draws a map, gives directions, or plots a navigational course for a ship or airplane.
-
