A grid map has letters along the top for columns and numbers down the side for rows. A grid reference gives the letter first, then the number: C3 means column C, row 3. To find a square, go along to the letter, then down to the number. To name a square, read the letter at the top of its column, then the number at the side of its row. Moving east or west changes the letter; north or south changes the number.
Explore this idea with maths tools
Maths you can move
Build 8 + 5
Tap two gold counters to fill the ten-frame.
8 in the frame + 5 waiting. The total stays the same.
Words to know
- grid reference
- a letter and a number that name one square on a map
- column
- a line of squares going up and down
- row
- a line of squares going across
Worked examples
The school is in column C, row 2. What is its grid reference?
- 1.Letter first: C.
- 2.Then the number: 2, so the grid reference is C2.
= C2
The park is in B4. Which column and row is that?
- 1.B is the column: go along the top to B.
- 2.4 is the row: go down the side to 4. The square is B4.
= B4
Start in B2. Move 2 squares east, then 1 square south (row 1 at the top). Which square are you in?
- 1.2 east: B changes to D.
- 2.1 south: 2 changes to 3, so you are in D3.
= D3
For parents
Method: Use a street directory or board game to find squares by letter and number.
What to say: Which letter is at the top of that column? Which number is at the side of that row?
Common mistakes:
- Swaps the roles of the letter and the number: uses the number for the column and the letter for the row.
- Counts the rows from the bottom instead of reading the row numbers on the map.
- Moves west instead of east (or east instead of west).
- Moves south instead of north (or north instead of south).
- Makes the first move but forgets the second one.