Locating a specific address using currently-available mapping software is an inexact science. If you entered an address or looked up a business and received a map that is incorrect, try the following troubleshooting steps:

• Always make sure you entered the right address and that it is spelled correctly. Our software picks up many errors in the spelling of cities, abbreviations, and streets. However, you'll get the best results if you spell the address correctly.
• Make sure the zip or postal code is correct. By providing the city, state or province, and ZIP code, you are ensured the best results.
• Make sure you add the street suffix (such as Rd, St, Ave, etc.). Add the directional prefixes even if they are abbreviated (such as "N" or "North"). Our locator software is intuitive and will find a match in most cases even if you omit directional prefixes, slashes ('/'), or punctuation marks.

Assuming that you are entering the information correctly and that the system finds a match for your address, two issues could be causing the "red star" or address indicator icon to appear in the wrong spot:

• There may be inaccurate data in the database.
• When the point is placed on the map to represent the address, this process is done via interpolation.

Using interpolation, the street segment is divided into numerous equal parts depending on the address range for that segment. For example, the address range for a given street (e.g., Maple St.) is 500-1000; therefore the street is divided equally into 500, 600, 700, ... 1000. If the address given is 599 Maple St, then the mapping engine will place the location point around the 600 point on the street. Sometimes, a problem arises when, in reality, the section of the street that covers the 500-600 range takes up 80% of the street and the 700-1000 range takes up the other 20%. The mapping engine will place the point where it believes 599 should go -- equidistant from 500 and 700, but in reality the point belongs farther down the street.

In some cases, the locator software attempts to find the address match but does not succeed. In these cases, we issue a warning. The software finds a street-level match and locates the closest address.

701 First Ave, Sunnyvale, CA

You can also use a zipcode instead of a city and state, and if you're looking for general maps of an area, you can just enter a city and state/province, or even city and country.

Yahoo! Maps accepts:

Address, City, State (either spelled out, or as 2 letter abbreviations)
Address, Postal Code
Postal Code
Airport Codes
City, State
City, Province
City, Country