Compass

Compass.py

if x >= 340 or x <= 20:
		return 'N'
	elif x > 20  and x < 70:
		return 'NE'
	elif x >= 70 and x <= 110:
		return 'E'
	elif x > 110 and x < 160:
		return 'SE'
	elif x >= 160 and x <= 200:
		return 'S'
	elif x < 250 and x > 200:
		return 'SW'
	elif x >= 250 and x <= 290:
		return 'W'
	else:
		return 'NW'

import collections

def compass_dir_1(x = 0):
    if x >= 340 or x <= 20:
        return 'N'
    elif 20 < x < 70:  # optimization for 20 < x and x < 70
        return 'NE'
    elif 70 <= x <= 110:
        return 'E'
    elif 110 < x < 160:
        return 'SE'
    elif 160 <= x <= 200:
        return 'S'
    elif 200 < x < 250:
        return 'SW'
    elif 250 <= x <= 290:
        return 'W'
    else:
        return 'NW'

def compass_dir_2(x = 0):
    if x >= 340 or x <= 20:
        return 'N'
    if x < 70:  # no elifs
        return 'NE'
    if x <= 110:
        return 'E'
    if x < 160:
        return 'SE'
    if x <= 200:
        return 'S'
    if x < 250:
        return 'SW'
    if x <= 290:
        return 'W'
    else:
        return 'NW'

def compass_dir_3(x = 0):
    if x >= 340:
        return 'N'
    direction_dict = collections.OrderedDict([
        ( 21, 'N'),
        ( 70, 'NE'),
        (111, 'E'),
        (160, 'SE'),
        (201, 'S'),
        (250, 'SW'),
        (291, 'W'),
        (340, 'NW') ])
    for i in direction_dict.keys():
        if x < i:
            return direction_dict[i]

for i in range(360):
    print(i, compass_dir_1(i), compass_dir_2(i), compass_dir_3(i))
    assert compass_dir_1(i) == compass_dir_2(i) == compass_dir_3(i)

# negative user testing
i = -1
print(i, compass_dir_1(i), compass_dir_2(i), compass_dir_3(i))
i = 10000
print(i, compass_dir_1(i), compass_dir_2(i), compass_dir_3(i))
i = 'a'
print(i, compass_dir_1(i), compass_dir_2(i), compass_dir_3(i))

Your second solution should have been more obvious to me.