Coordinates
A pair of numbers (x, y) that gives the exact position of a point on a grid. The first number is across, the second is up or down.
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Analogy
Like a map reference: go along the corridor first, then up the stairs.
Example
(3, 2): 3 across, 2 up(-4, 1): 4 left, 1 up(0, -5): on the y-axis, 5 down
In practice
Video games, maps and satnavs all use coordinates to place things.
Practice
Flashcards
- In the point (3, 2), which number is the x value?3. The x value always comes first and tells you how far across.
Questions people ask
Which number comes first in a coordinate pair?
The x value always comes first. It tells you how far to move across, right if positive and left if negative. Then the y value tells you how far to move up or down. A simple memory trick is 'along the corridor, then up the stairs'. So (3, 2) is 3 across and 2 up.
What are the four quadrants of a graph?
The x-axis and y-axis split the grid into four quadrants. Quadrant one has positive x and y. Numbering goes anticlockwise: top right, top left, bottom left, bottom right. Points on an axis are not in any quadrant. They sit exactly on the line between two.