geometry · Year 5 · AC9M5SP02
Plotting coordinates
A coordinate pair tells you where a point sits on a grid. It is written as (across, up) — the first number is how far to move right along the x-axis, and the second is how far up the y-axis. Always start at the origin, the corner where the axes cross, which counts as 0, not 1. Then count the spaces you move, not the lines you pass. So (3, 2) means 3 across and 2 up. Going up before across, or counting the first line as 1, lands the point in the wrong place.
Sample questions
Plot the point 3 right and 1 up from the origin. What are its coordinates?
- Start at the origin, (0, 0).
- Go across 3, then up 1.
- The point is (3, 1).
Answer: (3, 1)
Plot the point 2 right and 3 up from the origin. What are its coordinates?
- Start at the origin, (0, 0).
- Go across 2, then up 3.
- The point is (2, 3).
Answer: (2, 3)
Plot the point 1 right and 2 up from the origin. What are its coordinates?
- Start at the origin, (0, 0).
- Go across 1, then up 2.
- The point is (1, 2).
Answer: (1, 2)