How_To_Be_Good_At_Math

coordinates Positive and negative

Quadrants of a graph

When we extend the x and y axes of a grid

beyond the origin, we create four different

sections. These are called the first, second,

third, and fourth quadrants.

In the third quadrant, point C is behind

the origin on the x axis and below it on

the y axis, so both coordinates are negative

numbers. The coordinates are (−5, −1).

In the fourth quadrant, point D is 6

squares along the x axis and 3 down on

the y axis. So, its coordinates are (6, −3).

In the first quadrant, both coordinates

are made of positive numbers. Point A is

two squares along the x axis and 4 squares

up the y axis, so its coordinates are (2, 4).

In the second quadrant, point B is 2

squares behind the origin (0,0), so the

x coordinate is −2. It's 3 squares up on the

y axis, so point B's coordinates are (−2, 3).

Plotting positive and negative coordinates

Points on a grid can have positive or negative coordinates,

or a mixture of both, depending on which quadrant they are in.

1st quadrant

3rd quadrant 4th quadrant

Positive and

negative coordinates

The x and y axes on a grid can go either side of

zero, just as they do on a number line. On this

kind of grid, a point's position is described with

positive and negative coordinates.

B (−2, 3)

D (6, −3)

C (−5, −1)

−6 −5−4 −3−2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

1

2

3

4

5

6

−1

−2

−3

−4

−5

−6

A (2, 4)

The x coordinate is

positive and the

y coordinate is negative

Both coordinates

are positive

Both coordinates

are negative

The x coordinate is negative and

the y coordinate is positive

Coordinates can be

positive or negative,

depending on the

quadrant they are

located in

−6 −5−4−3−2 −1^0123456

1

2

3

4

5

6

−1

−2

−3

−4

−5

−6

2nd quadrant

x

y

x

y

250_251_Quadrants_pos_neg_coords.indd 250 29/02/2016 18:05