Position — South Australian Year 4 Maths
Grid maps and grid references, compass directions including north-east and south-west, and following and describing pathways on a map. Three subtopics and 60 questions with answers, aligned to AC9M4SP02.
Position in South Australian Year 4
This topic is about saying where things are and how to get there. Students read and write grid references such as C5, use north, south, east and west and the in-between directions, and follow and describe routes across a grid map, including the journey back.
The three subtopics below are using grid maps and coordinates, using compass directions, and following and describing pathways. Position is one of the 20 topics in South Australian Year 4 Maths and sits in the Space strand. All three come under Australian Curriculum code AC9M4SP02. These map skills lead on to locating points with coordinates in later years.
Subtopics
Position: common questions
How do you write a grid reference?
Write the column letter first, then the row number, with no brackets or comma: the square in column E, row 6 is E6, not 6E. A grid reference names a whole square, so anything inside that square has the same reference.
How do compass directions work on a map?
Most maps have north at the top, but check the north arrow or compass rose first. The in-between directions sit halfway between two main ones, so north-west is up and to the left. Each direction has an opposite: the opposite of south-east is north-west.
How do you describe the route back?
Reverse the order of the steps and swap each direction for its opposite. If the way to the library is north 3 squares, then east 5 squares, the way home is west 5 squares, then south 3 squares. Forgetting to reverse the order is the usual mistake.
How can my child practise position at home?
Draw a simple grid map of your street, home or a local park, label the columns with letters and the rows with numbers, and take turns naming squares. Hide a small treasure and give directions to it, such as east 2 squares, then north 1 square.
Which curriculum codes cover Position in South Australian Year 4?
All three subtopics come under Australian Curriculum v9 code AC9M4SP02, the Year 4 content on making and reading grid reference systems and using directions to find and describe places and routes.