Oh, cool! I'm learning this too!
This may sound difficult, so let's try a example of one now. How about Boron?
(*hiya, mr.boron! (^u^/)*)
The ATOMIC NUMBER is located at the very top of the group symbol you're referring to.
"So how do I locate it?"
| 5 | <Atomic # | B | < Symbol
| Boron | <=== Element Name
10.81 < Atomic Mass ||
In this case, the number is five, which is representing 5 atoms with protons and electrons. It does not have 5 single protons or electrons, otherwise it'd be one group of positive protons, negative electrons, and so on.
Try not to get it confused by ATOMIC MASS, which is located on the bottom (10.81; That could appear as a trick question on a quiz of some sort. It happened to me once, yikes.) The Atomic Mass contains the number of protons and NEUTRONS (The center nucleus of the atom), which contains nada, zero, nothing. It has ABSOLUTELY no charge, at all.
Hope that worked! :)
