Final answer:
Cardinal directions are North, South, East, and West, whereas intercardinal directions are Northwest, Northeast, Southwest, and Southeast, which are used for navigation and locating places on Earth.
Step-by-step explanation:
In geography, cardinal directions refer to the four main points on a compass that are North, South, East, and West. These are the primary directions used to navigate and orient oneself on Earth’s surface. On the other hand, intercardinal directions, or ordinal directions, are the points of the compass that fall in between the cardinal directions. These include Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), Southwest (SW), and Southeast (SE). When giving directions or describing the location of an object, one might use these cardinal and intercardinal points. For example, if you were to travel to a destination, you might be instructed to follow a path 40 km to the East and then proceed 30 km towards the North, rather than be given a single vector bearing, such as 50 km direction 37° north of east.