Coordinate Plane

The coordinate plane, also known as the Cartesian plane, is a two-dimensional system used to locate points. It consists of two perpendicular number lines, the x-axis, and the y-axis, which intersect at their zero points, called the origin.

Parts of the Coordinate Plane:

Origin: The point where the x-axis and the y-axis intersect, denoted by (0, 0).
X-Axis: The horizontal number line.
Y-Axis: The vertical number line.
Quadrants: The four sections of the coordinate plane formed by the intersection of the x-axis and the y-axis. They are labeled as Quadrant I, Quadrant II, Quadrant III, and Quadrant IV, in a counterclockwise direction.

Coordinates:

Points on the coordinate plane are located using ordered pairs (x, y), where x represents the horizontal position along the x-axis, and y represents the vertical position along the y-axis.

Plotting Points:

To plot a point, locate the x-coordinate on the x-axis, then move vertically to the y-coordinate on the y-axis, and mark the point at their intersection.

Distance Between Points:

The distance between two points on the coordinate plane can be found using the distance formula: √((x2 - x1)^2 + (y2 - y1)^2).

Study Guide:

What is the origin of the coordinate plane?
Describe the x-axis and y-axis.
What are the four quadrants of the coordinate plane?
How are points located on the coordinate plane?
How can you find the distance between two points on the coordinate plane?

◂Math Worksheets and Study Guides Sixth Grade. Plotting Points

Vocabulary/Answer key

Plotting Points

The resources above cover the following skills:

The Number System

Apply and extend previous understandings of numbers to the system of rational numbers.

Understand a rational number as a point on the number line. Extend number line diagrams and coordinate axes familiar from previous grades to represent points on the line and in the plane with negative number coordinates. [6-NS6]

Understand signs of numbers in ordered pairs as indicating locations in quadrants of the coordinate plane; recognize that when two ordered pairs differ only by signs, the locations of the points are related by reflections across one or both axes. [6-NS6b]

Find and position integers and other rational numbers on a horizontal or vertical number line diagram; find and position pairs of integers and other rational numbers on a coordinate plane. [6-NS6c]

Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points in all four quadrants of the coordinate plane. Include use of coordinates and absolute value to find distances between points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate. [6-NS8]