What are Ordinal Points?

• A. Primary compass directions
• B. Intermediates such as NW, SW, NNE, ENE
• C. The meridians
• D. The equator

Answer: (B)

Ordinal points are directions that sit between the main compass directions. The big directions are north, east, south, and west, and the directions halfway between them are the intercardinal or ordinal points—like northeast, southeast, southwest, and northwest. Some systems go even further, adding smaller steps such as north-northeast or east-northeast. So, examples like NW, SW, NNE, and ENE show the idea: they’re all intermediate directions between the primary ones. The other options refer to the main directions themselves, lines around the globe, or the equator, and aren’t what ordinal points describe.