Neither. The numbering is scattered across the plates.
To find a map of which plate is which, you need to go up to the office that you reach via the lift. On the desk is a map showing which pressure plate has which number.
Then, in the prison, you need to look through the bars at the row of switches and see which switches have a yellow card above them. Put a rock on each pressure plate corresponding to a switch with a yellow card above it.
The first time you go to the prison you need to put stones on four plates - the two closest to each of the gates. However, when you pull a switch to get through the next gate it will change the combination, so you do need the map and to understand how the puzzle works in order to work the gates again.