Intermediate Test Prep Math 8 (Grades7-8) Locate a Point on the Coordinate Plane

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Merry-Go-Round
A plane is a flat surface that has no boundaries. A coordinate plane has an x-axis and a y-axis. Every point on the plane is represented by two numbers relative to the x and y axes.

The x-axis looks exactly like a number line (horizontally).

The y-axis also represents a number line (vertically). In the upward direction are the positive numbers. In the downward direction are the negative numbers.

The origin is where the x-axis and y-axis meet.

An example of a coordinate plane would look like this...

Coordinate Plane

In order to "read" the points, we read the "x" number first then the "y" number.

Point a is to the right (positive) 3 on the x-axis and up (positive) 4 on the y-axis. The coordinates for point a would be written (3, 4).

Point b is to the right (positive) 2 on the x-axis and down (negative) 3 on the y-axis. The coordinates for point b would be (2, -3).

Point c does not go to the left or to the right on the x-axis. This is considered 0. Point c goes down (negative) 5 on the y-axis. The coordinates for point c would be (0, -5).

Point d is to the left (negative) 5 on the x-axis and does not go up or down on the y-axis. This is considered 0. The coordinates for point d would be (-5, 0).

Point e is to the left (negative) 2 on the x-axis and up (positive) 1 on the y-axis. The coordinates for point e would be written (-2, 1).

What do you think the coordinates of the origin are?

Remember zero is neither positive nor negative.
It's neutral!

Let's Practice Locating Points!