Main content
Course: 5th grade > Unit 12
Lesson 2: Coordinate plane word problemsCoordinate plane: FAQ
Frequently asked questions about the coordinate plane.
What is the coordinate plane?
The coordinate plane is a two-dimensional grid that is used to graph points and lines. A coordinate plane has four sections called quadrants.
Quadrant one (QI) is in the upper right-hand corner of the coordinate plane, Quadrant two (QII) is in the upper left-hand corner, Quadrant three (QIII) is in the lower left-hand corner, and Quadrant four (QIV) is in the lower right-hand corner.
Try it yourself with this exercise:
What are coordinates and what do they represent?
Coordinates are two numbers that are used to locate a point on the coordinate plane.
The first number, or -coordinate, tells us how far left or right to move from the origin (the point where the two axes intersect). The second number, or -coordinate, tells us how far up or down to move from the origin.
Try it yourself with this exercise:
How do we graph a point on the coordinate plane?
To graph a point, we first find the x-coordinate on the horizontal axis, and then we find the y-coordinate on the vertical axis. We plot the point where the two lines intersect.
Try it yourself with this exercise:
Where do we use the coordinate plane in the real world?
The coordinate plane is used in many different fields, such as engineering, architecture, and physics.
Try it yourself with this exercise:
Want to join the conversation?
- is x first or y first?(13 votes)
- the x-coordinate is first(22 votes)
- Why is it called the x-axis and the y-axis? Can't it just be called the z-axis or the prime axis? Do the x and y stand for a word?(8 votes)
- the reason is because X And Y are most common to use(5 votes)
- which goes first x or y(3 votes)
- (X,Y)
X goes first, Y goes after.
Y is vertical (up, down)
X is horizontal (left, right)
Have a good day!(3 votes)
- Witch is first x-axis or y-axis(3 votes)
- The x is the first and the y is the last. For example, A(1,2), 1 is the x, which goes first, 2 is the y, which goes last.(2 votes)
- how does the coordinate plane work(4 votes)
- A coordinate plane is a two-dimensional plane formed by
the intersection of the x-axis and the Y-axis.(0 votes)
- h vvvvvvvvjubikml,;kmnjhbgvtfrd how do?(1 vote)
- How do you use it, like how(1 vote)
- what does x and y stand for(1 vote)
- Would a coordinate grid in real life architecture 3-D?(1 vote)
- is it y first or x first(1 vote)
- X is first, think of it like the alphabet. X Y Z(1 vote)