鶹Լ

Watch: Coordinates

A point on a grid has two numbers to identify its position. These numbers are known as coordinates.

Coordinates are always written as the number of steps across first, then the number of steps up or down.

Grids have two axes. The horizontal axis is called the x-axis and the vertical axis is called the y-axis. These axes can be used to find a point on a grid.

Back to top

Example 1

What are the coordinates of the circle?

A circle on a grid at (3,4) and a square at (5,1)

Step 1 - Go along the x-axis to see which number the circle is in line with - 3.

Step 2 - Now see which number the circle is opposite to on the y-axis - 4.

Step 3 - Write the numbers as coordinates (3, 4).

What are the coordinates of the square?

Step 1 - Read which number the square is opposite to on the x-axis - 5.

Step 2 - Now see which number the square is in line with on the y axis - 1.

Step 3 - Write the numbers as coordinates (5, 1).

Back to top

Example 2

Hassan thinks that the triangle’s coordinates are (4, 2). Do you agree?

A triangle at coordinates (2,4)

The first thing you need to do is to read the triangle’s coordinates for yourself.

The triangle is opposite 2 on the x-axis and in line with 4 on the y-axis.

That should be written as (2, 4). So Hassan is wrong because he has mixed up the order of the x and y-axis.

Back to top

Activities

Activity 1

Back to top

Activity 2

Back to top

Quiz

Back to top

NEW! Play Guardians: Defenders of Mathematica - the Halloween update. game

Experience Mathematica as you’ve never seen it before, with all-new backgrounds and costumes for Halloween. Available for a limited time only. Use your maths skills to save the day before it's too late!

NEW! Play Guardians: Defenders of Mathematica - the Halloween update
Back to top

More on Coordinates

Find out more by working through a topic