Introduction To Coordinates

Coordinates can be used to pinpoint where you are on a map or graph:

The point (12,5) is 12 units along, and 5 units up.

Example: Three points and their coordinates:

Point (5,3) is 5 units along and 3 units up (you can count to make sure)

A Single and a Four Quadrant Grid

A simple Set of Axes (no, not the ones you use to chop wood - because there is an X Axis and a Y Axis we have two Axes)

x can go from 0 onwards, and is always positive
y can go from 0 upwards, and is always positive

We call this the first quadrant

A Set of Axes showing a 4 quadrant grid.

In the first quadrant x is positive y is positive
In the second quadrant x is negative y is positive
In the third quadrant x is negative y is negative
In the fourth quadrant x is positive y is negative

How to Plot the Coordinates

This is the coordinate (4,4)

The x coordinate is always the first.
The y coordinate is the second.

Go along 4 and then go up 4 then 'plot the dot'.

It is easy to remember, in the alphabet x comes before y, so the first number must be the x co-ordinate

Much the same as before except:

Where there is a negative number:
go backwards for x or down for y

For example (-4,4) means:
go back along the x axis 4 then go up 4.
Now(-4,-4) means:
go back along the x axis 4 then go down 4.