Using the Cartesian System

• x-Axis: The horizontal scale for measuring change on a graph.
• y-Axis: The vertical scale for measuring change on a graph.
• Origin: The point where the two scales cross and both have a value of 0.
The coordinates of the origin are (0,0).
• Cartesian Plane: The name for the system that uses the x- and y-axes.
• Quadrants: The four areas that are created by drawing x- and y-axes on a plane.
• Ordered Pairs: The address of each point. It states the x-value first, then the y-value (x,y). By using this protocol, everyone
in the world knows to start at the origin, (0,0) and move sideways as indicated by the x-value and vertically as indicated
by the y-value.

The x-Axis is a horizontal number line. It measures to the

right positively and to the left negatively.

The y-Axis vertical number line. It measures up positively

and down negatively.

Where these two line cross is called the Origin. Its address
is (0,0).

This system is called a Cartesian plane because a

mathematician named Descartes invented it.

The two axes divide the plane into four areas, or quadrants.

Quadrant I contains all points where the x and y coordinates

are positive.

Quadrant II contains all points where the x coordinates are

negative and the y coordinates are positive.

Quadrant III contains all points where the x and y coordinates

are negative.

Quadrant IV contains all points where the x coordinates are

positve and the y coodinates are negative.

A point’s location is stated with a number showing how

far horizontally from the origin the point is located, and a
second number showing how far vertically the point is from
the origin. The information is always horizontal (x) first, and
vertical (y) second: (x,y). That’s why it’s called “ordered.”

Plotting points is a matter of counting from the origin, (0,0),

the indicated distance horizontally and vertically and plotting
your point to mark the spot.

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