Definition
Position
Position tells where something is in a sequence or in space.
What it means
Position answers ‘where?’ but the reference matters. You might count from the left, name a row and column, use coordinates, or say that one object is above another. Change the reference and the position description can change.
Remember it
Position needs a place and a reference.
Example
In the row triangle, circle, square, star, the square is third from the left and second from the right. Both descriptions name the same position because each states its reference end.
Watch for
Saying “third” is incomplete when it is unclear where counting starts or which sequence is being used.
Common mix-up
Position tells where something is; direction tells which way to move or face.
Exact meaning
Position is an object's or value's location within a stated reference system, such as a row, sequence, grid, coordinate system, or relative direction.