Key Point: You can plot points on a coordinate plane by using the x and y axis on the grid.
This is a small section of a coordinate plane. A coordinate plane has a horizontal axis, which is often referred to as the “x” axis, and a vertical axis, known as the “y” axis. You will need to use both the horizontal axis and the vertical axis in order to plot points on the coordinate plane.
Any point on a coordinate plane can be represented by two numbers. We refer to the first number as the “x” variable, because it lets us know how far along the “x” axis the point is located. The second number in the point, is called the “y” variable. It lets us know how far along the “y” axis the point is located.
When plotting points on a coordinate plane, always begin at the origin. The origin is located here. This point is also known as zero, zero.
Let’s plot a point on the coordinate plane. For this example, let’s plot the point five, three. Remember, the first number listed tells how far along the “x” axis the point is located. Start at the origin. Now, move to the right along the “x” axis, a total of 5 spaces.
The second number in the point represents how far along the “y” axis to move. Start where you left off on the “x” axis, and move 3 spaces up, along the “y” axis.
This is the spot on the coordinate plane that matches the numbers in our point. Mark this spot with a dot.
When plotting points on a coordinate plane, remember to move right, along the “x” access, and then move up along the “y” access.
