Year 2: Position on a grid
Part of the Year 2 position and direction chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Position on a grid
A grid is made of squares, in rows and columns.
A row goes across, from left to right. Row 1 is the top row.
A column goes up and down. Column 1 is the left column.
We say where things are by counting the rows down and the squares across.
Key ideas
- Row 1 is the top row. Count the rows down from the top.
- Column 1 is the left column. Count the squares across from the left.
- 2 squares to the right means you move 2 squares across.
- A smaller row number is higher up on the grid.
Method. Find the row first, then find the column. Read the object in the square.
- Count down to the row. Row 1 is 1 rows down from the top.row 1
- Count across to the column. Column 3 is 3 squares across from the left.column 3
- Read the object. It is in the square where the row and the column meet.ball
Check. Count 1 rows down and 3 squares across to check. ✓
Watch out. Count the rows from the top. Count the columns from the left.
Method. Start on the star and move one square at a time, as the words say.
- Find the square you start on. It is in row 1, column 1.start: row 1, column 1
- Move 2 squares down. Move one square at a time, in a straight line.now at row 3, column 1
- Read the object on the square you land on. car
Check. Walk back the same way from row 3, column 1 and you reach row 1, column 1. ✓
Watch out. Count the squares you move onto. Do not count the square you start on.
Method. Compare the columns. A smaller column number is further to the left.
- Find the column of the car. The car is in column 1.car: column 1
- Find the column of the bee. The bee is in column 3.bee: column 3
- Say which side. Column 1 and column 3 compared: the car is on the left of the bee.left
Check. Say it the other way: the bee is on the right of the car. ✓
Watch out. Left means towards column 1. Right means towards the last column.
Watch out
Watch out: count the rows from the top, not from the bottom. Row 1 is always the top row.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Draw a grid of 4 by 5 squares on paper. Put a sticker or a coin in some squares. Ask: “Which row is it in? Which column? What is one square to the right?”
Exercise 9C Position on a grid
Non-calculatorMethod. Find the row first, then find the column. Read the object in the square.
- Count down to the row. Row 1 is 1 rows down from the top.row 1
- Count across to the column. Column 2 is 2 squares across from the left.column 2
- Read the object. It is in the square where the row and the column meet.apple
Check. Count 1 rows down and 2 squares across to check. ✓
Watch out. Count the rows from the top. Count the columns from the left.
Method. Find the row first, then find the column. Read the object in the square.
- Count down to the row. Row 4 is 4 rows down from the top.row 4
- Count across to the column. Column 5 is 5 squares across from the left.column 5
- Read the object. It is in the square where the row and the column meet.tree
Check. Count 4 rows down and 5 squares across to check. ✓
Watch out. Count the rows from the top. Count the columns from the left.
Method. Find the row first, then find the column. Read the object in the square.
- Count down to the row. Row 3 is 3 rows down from the top.row 3
- Count across to the column. Column 1 is 1 squares across from the left.column 1
- Read the object. It is in the square where the row and the column meet.car
Check. Count 3 rows down and 1 squares across to check. ✓
Watch out. Count the rows from the top. Count the columns from the left.
Method. Count the rows down from the top, one row at a time.
- Find the boat. It is in column 4.boat: column 4
- Count down to the row. Row 1 is the top row.row 3
- Write the answer. 3
Check. Count 3 rows down from the top to reach the boat. ✓
Watch out. Count the rows from the top, not from the bottom.
Method. Start on the apple and move one square at a time, as the words say.
- Find the square you start on. It is in row 1, column 2.start: row 1, column 2
- Move 1 square down. Move one square at a time, in a straight line.now at row 2, column 2
- Read the object on the square you land on. cube
Check. Walk back the same way from row 2, column 2 and you reach row 1, column 2. ✓
Watch out. Count the squares you move onto. Do not count the square you start on.
Method. Start on the boat and move one square at a time, as the words say.
- Find the square you start on. It is in row 3, column 4.start: row 3, column 4
- Move 1 square up. Move one square at a time, in a straight line.now at row 2, column 4
- Read the object on the square you land on. hat
Check. Walk back the same way from row 2, column 4 and you reach row 3, column 4. ✓
Watch out. Count the squares you move onto. Do not count the square you start on.
Method. Start on the cube and move one square at a time, as the words say.
- Find the square you start on. It is in row 2, column 2.start: row 2, column 2
- Move 1 square right. Move one square at a time, in a straight line.now at row 2, column 3
- Read the object on the square you land on. duck
Check. Walk back the same way from row 2, column 3 and you reach row 2, column 2. ✓
Watch out. Count the squares you move onto. Do not count the square you start on.
Method. Start on the bus and move one square at a time, as the words say.
- Find the square you start on. It is in row 3, column 5.start: row 3, column 5
- Move 2 squares left. Move one square at a time, in a straight line.now at row 3, column 3
- Read the object on the square you land on. bee
Check. Walk back the same way from row 3, column 3 and you reach row 3, column 5. ✓
Watch out. Count the squares you move onto. Do not count the square you start on.
Method. Compare the columns. A smaller column number is further to the left.
- Find the column of the car. The car is in column 1.car: column 1
- Find the column of the boat. The boat is in column 4.boat: column 4
- Say which side. Column 1 and column 4 compared: the car is on the left of the boat.left
Check. Say it the other way: the boat is on the right of the car. ✓
Watch out. Left means towards column 1. Right means towards the last column.
Method. Count the squares that lie between the star and the ball, in the same row.
- Find the star and the ball. Both are in row 1.star: column 1, ball: column 3
- Count the squares in between. Do not count the two objects themselves.apple
- Write the answer. 1
Check. Count the squares from the star to the ball as well: 2 moves, so 1 in between. ✓
Watch out. Do not count the objects at the ends. Count only the squares in between.
Method. Find the row first, then find the column. Read the object in the square.
- Count down to the row. Row 3 is 3 rows down from the top.row 3
- Count across to the column. Column 5 is 5 squares across from the left.column 5
- Read the object. It is in the square where the row and the column meet.bus
Check. Count 3 rows down and 5 squares across to check. ✓
Watch out. Count the rows from the top. Count the columns from the left.
Method. Compare the columns of the bee and the car.
- Find the bee and the car. The bee is in row 3, column 3. The car is in row 3, column 1.column 3 and column 1
- Say which side the bee is on. The bee is on the right of the car.the right side
- Decide. The claim says the bee is on the right of the car.Yes
Check. The bee is on the right of the car, so the claim is right. ✓
Watch out. Left means towards column 1. Check the columns, not the sizes of the objects.