Which direction would lead to an earlier local time if you travel?

Which direction would lead to an earlier local time if you travel?

• A. East
• B. North
• C. South
• D. West

Answer: (D)

Time zones are arranged so that local time shifts toward the east. As you move east, you enter time zones that are ahead, meaning later clocks. As you move west, you enter time zones that are behind, so the local time is earlier. For example, if it’s noon in your starting place and you travel one time zone to the west, you would arrive where it’s 11:00; two zones west would be 10:00, and so on. The general pattern is that traveling west yields an earlier local time. (The International Date Line can flip the date, but that’s a special case outside everyday travel.)

Time zones are arranged so that local time shifts toward the east. As you move east, you enter time zones that are ahead, meaning later clocks. As you move west, you enter time zones that are behind, so the local time is earlier.

For example, if it’s noon in your starting place and you travel one time zone to the west, you would arrive where it’s 11:00; two zones west would be 10:00, and so on. The general pattern is that traveling west yields an earlier local time. (The International Date Line can flip the date, but that’s a special case outside everyday travel.)