def alpha_to_num(char):
    """Takes a single character and converts it to a number where A=1"""
    translator = {'A': 1, 'B': 2, 'C': 3, 'D': 4, 'E': 5, 'F': 6, 'G': 7,
        'H': 8, 'I': 9, 'J': 10, 'K': 11, 'L': 12, 'M': 13, 'N': 14, 'O': 
        15, 'P': 16, 'Q': 17, 'R': 18, 'S': 19, 'T': 20, 'U': 21, 'V': 22,
        'W': 23, 'X': 24, 'Y': 25, 'Z': 26}
    return translator[char.upper()]
