Six-figure grid references

How to read Ordnance Survey maps using grid references

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Try each question. If you're stuck, leave it and come back. The answer key is on the last page.

1
On an Ordnance Survey map, which direction do you read first? A) Eastings (left to right) first, then northings (up) B) Northings (up) first, then eastings C) Diagonally from any corner D) Right to left
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2
Complete the saying. Along the corridor, then up the ___.
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3
True or false? A four-figure grid reference identifies a 1 km square on an OS map. A) True B) False
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4
How many figures are there in a four-figure grid reference? A) 4 B) 6 C) 8 D) 10
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5
How many figures are there in a six-figure grid reference? A) Six (three eastings, three northings) B) Three (one for each direction) C) Twelve (six for each direction) D) Eight (four eastings, four northings)
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6
Match each grid reference term to its meaning. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: Eastings, Northings, Four-figure, Six-figure Right: Numbers running across the map, Numbers running up the map, 1 km square reference, 100 m square reference
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7
True or false? Six-figure grid references are more precise than four-figure references. A) True B) False
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8
Complete the sentence. To go from a four-figure reference to a six-figure reference you add one extra digit to the eastings and one to the ___.
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9
If a place is at four-figure reference 12 34, what could its six-figure reference be? A) 125 345 B) 21 43 C) 1234 56 D) 12.34
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10
Order these steps for reading a six-figure grid reference. Put these in order: Estimate tenths to add one extra digit to each, Find the easting on the left of the square, Find the northing at the bottom of the square, Read along the corridor (eastings) first
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Answer key

Six-figure grid references · for parents and teachers

1
Eastings (left to right) first, then northings (up)
You always read eastings (the numbers along the bottom or top, going east) first, then northings (the numbers going up the side, going north).
2
stairs
'Along the corridor, then up the stairs' helps you remember to read eastings first (left to right) and northings second (going up).
3
True
A four-figure grid reference (two eastings, two northings) identifies a 1 km grid square on a standard OS map.
4
4
A four-figure grid reference uses four digits in total.
5
Six (three eastings, three northings)
A six-figure grid reference uses three digits for eastings and three for northings, giving a more precise location than a four-figure reference.
6
Eastings → Numbers running across the map; Northings → Numbers running up the map; Four-figure → 1 km square reference; Six-figure → 100 m square reference
Eastings go across the map; northings go up. Four-figure references locate a 1 km square; six-figure references locate a 100 m square inside it.
7
True
Six-figure references narrow a location down to a 100 m square, while four-figure references only narrow it down to a 1 km square.
8
northings
A six-figure reference adds an extra digit (0 to 9) to both the eastings and northings, dividing the kilometre square into a 10 by 10 grid.
9
125 345
Six-figure references add one extra digit to each part. So 12 34 might become something like 125 345 (or any digits 0 to 9 added to 12 and 34).
10
Read along the corridor (eastings) first, Find the easting on the left of the square, Find the northing at the bottom of the square, Estimate tenths to add one extra digit to each
To read a six-figure reference: read eastings first, find the easting on the left, find the northing at the bottom, then estimate the tenths within the square.