Grid References (SQA National 5 Geography): Revision Note

Four-figure grid references are used to locate specific grid squares within the map

• The first two figures are the eastings, which indicate how far east or west a grid is across the map

• The second two figures are the northings, which indicate how far north or south a grid is on the map

To find the four-figure grid reference, give the number from the bottom of the map first, then the number from the side 

In the image above, the 4-figure grid reference would be 17 51

• Ordnance Survey four-figure and six-figure grid references are written as a sequence of numbers without commas between the digits

Six-figure grid references are used to locate exact points within grid squares

• The first three figures are the eastings 

• The second three figures are the northings

To give the 6-figure grid reference, you need to image that the grid square is divided into 100 smaller squares