The Coordinate Plane: Plotting Points & Quadrants

Week 10 · Coordinate Plane

Navigate the four quadrants, plot and read (x, y) coordinates, and find distances between points.

The Coordinate Plane\nThe coordinate plane has two number lines that cross at the origin (0, 0).\n- x-axis: horizontal (left-right)\n- y-axis: vertical (up-down)\n\n## Reading Coordinates\nEvery point is written as (x, y) — x first, y second. Remember: "x before y, walk before you fly!"\n\nPoint (3, -2): start at origin, go 3 right, then 2 down.\n\n## The Four Quadrants\n- Quadrant I: (+, +) — right and up\n- Quadrant II: (-, +) — left and up\n- Quadrant III: (-, -) — left and down\n- Quadrant IV: (+, -) — right and down\n\nPoints on an axis are NOT in any quadrant.\n\n## Finding Distance Along an Axis\nIf two points share the same y-coordinate, the distance is the difference in x-coordinates (and vice versa).\n\nDistance from (1, 4) to (6, 4) = |6 - 1| = 5 units

Example 1

📝 In which quadrant is the point (-4, 3)?

✓ Answer: Quadrant II

The x-coordinate is negative (left) and y is positive (up). That is Quadrant II.

Example 2

📝 What is the distance between (2, 5) and (2, 9)?

✓ Answer: 4 units

Both points have x = 2, so count vertically: |9 - 5| = 4 units.

⚠️Mixing up x and y — x is always first (left/right), y is always second (up/down)
⚠️Putting a point on the wrong side of an axis when a coordinate is negative
⚠️Forgetting that points on the axes are not in any quadrant