Grid facts for kids

A grid is a pattern of lines that cross each other, usually at right angles, to form squares or rectangles. You can find grids everywhere, from the streets in a city to the way information is organized on a computer screen. It's a very useful way to arrange things or find locations.

A grid, with snow; Photo by Giovanni Dall'Orto

Grids in Daily Life

Grids help us organize and understand the world around us.

City Planning

• A Grid plan is a way to design a city where streets run straight and cross each other at right angles. This creates a pattern of square or rectangular blocks. It makes it easy to navigate and find your way around.

Maps and Location

• A Grid reference is a system used on maps to find an exact spot. Imagine a map covered with a grid of lines. Each square has a unique code, making it simple to tell someone exactly where something is.

Computer Screens

• When you look at a table of information on a computer, you might see a Grid view or datagrid. This is a way to show data in rows and columns, just like a spreadsheet. It makes the information easy to read and sort.
• In typography and page layout, designers use grids to plan where text, pictures, and other elements will go on a page or screen. This helps make the design look neat and organized.

Organizing Information

• A Grid (spatial index) is a method used in computer databases to organize information based on its location. This helps computers quickly find data, especially when dealing with maps or large areas.

Grids in Science and Technology

Grids are super important in many areas of science and technology.

Electrical Grids

• An Electrical grid is a huge network of power lines that carry electricity from power plants to homes and businesses. It's like a giant web that makes sure everyone has power.
• Living Off-the-grid means you don't rely on this public electrical network. Instead, you might use solar panels or wind turbines to generate your own electricity.

Computer Power

• Grid computing is a way of connecting many computers together to work on one big problem. It's like a team of computers sharing their power to solve complex tasks much faster.

Math and Modeling

• In mathematics and computer modeling, a Mesh (mathematics) (also called a regular or unstructured grid) is used to divide a complex shape or area into smaller, simpler pieces. This helps scientists and engineers study things like how heat flows or how objects move.

Grids in Pop Culture

You might also hear about "Grid" in movies, music, or games!

• The Grid was an electronic dance music group popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
• The Grid (arcade game) is an arcade game that came out in 2001.
• The Grid (TV series) was a television show produced in 2004.
• Grid (album) is the eighth original album by the Japanese band M.O.V.E.

Other Meanings of Grid

• Grid (computer manufacturer) was a company in the 1980s that made early laptop computers.
• Grid (Jotun) is the name of a giantess in old Norse mythology.

What Does GRID Stand For?

Sometimes, GRID is an acronym, meaning each letter stands for a word.

• BioGRID is a large database that stores information about how different parts of living cells interact with each other.
• Global Release Identifier (GRid) is a special code used to identify music and video recordings.
• Group for Rural India Development (GRID) is an organization that helps communities in rural India.
• An ESRI GRID file is a type of computer file used in geographic information systems (GIS) to store map data.