Location
Alphanumeric references
Sometimes you need to explain the location of a place on a map. Some maps use an ‘alphanumeric
grid’ to help you do this. The ‘alpha’ refers to letters, ‘numeric’ refers to numbers. Generally, you will
find the letters along the top and bottom of the map and the numbers on the left- and right-hand
sides.
In this case, the letters are used to show the ‘column’ that the place is in. The numbers are used to
show the ‘row’. To refer to a square, we must give a letter and then a number. Looking at the grid
below, a ship is in square B3. The ‘B3’ is called an alphanumeric reference.
1.
Describe the pictures you see in the:
a.
‘A’ column
b.
‘2’ row
Oxford Atlas Project 3: ISBN 978 0 19 556451 8
© Oxford University Press Australia
2.
The following students each travelled to school by a different mode of transport. Use the
alphanumeric reference to work out how they travelled to school.
a.
Tawany (A2)
b.
Fiona (D3)
3.
Brad was playing a game of battleships with Kathy. The diagram below shows where Kathy
placed her ships.
a.
Below are Brad’s first five shots. Next to each alphanumeric reference, write whether
Brad’s shot was a hit or a miss.
A4
D5
E3
Oxford Atlas Project 3: ISBN 978 0 19 556451 8
© Oxford University Press Australia
B2
C1
b.
4.
Give the alphanumeric references to destroy each ship.
Look at the map of Brisbane on page 89 of the Oxford Atlas Project 3 (OAP3).
a.
Name the feature described in each alphanumeric reference below.
i.
Mountain in A3
ii. Suburb starting with ‘W’ in B2
iii. Bay in D2
iv. Two rivers that flow through D1
b.
State the alphanumeric reference for the following features:
i.
Brisbane Airport
ii. Suburb of Tivoli
iii. Mouth of the Caboolture River
Oxford Atlas Project 3: ISBN 978 0 19 556451 8
© Oxford University Press Australia
iv. Waterloo Bay
5.
Look at the map of the Arctic on page 175 of the OAP3.
a.
Iki gave the alphanumeric references for the places in the following list:
Give her a tick if she is correct, and give her a cross if she is incorrect and write the correct
answer next to it.
i.
Barrow K3
ii. Reykjavik Q2
iii. San Francisco G1
b.
In which grid are the following places located?
i.
North Magnetic Pole
ii. Murmansk
iii. Nuuk
iv. Calgary
Oxford Atlas Project 3: ISBN 978 0 19 556451 8
© Oxford University Press Australia