The Cartesian Plane

It was invented in the 17th century by

Renè Descartes.

1
 Cartesian plane:
Is a plane consisting of a set of t wo lines
intersecting each other at right angles.

The horizontal line is

the x-axis.

The vertical line is the

y-axis.

2
The x-axis and y-axis intersect at the origin.

The origin is located at ordered pair (0, 0)

3
The cartesian plane is divided into 4 quadrants.
1. Quadrant one (QI): there are only positive coordinates
2. Quadrant t wo (QII): negative x and positive y
3. Quadrant three (QIII): negative x and negative y
4. Quadrant t wo (QIV): positive x and negative y

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 B (-4, 3) A (2, 3)

A: QI
B: QII
C: QIII
D: QIV C (-3, -4)

D (4, -6)

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Graphing points in the cartesian plane
The points are identified by coordinates: P (x, y)

The x-coordinate represents a

value on the horizontal axis.

The y coordinate represents

a value on the vertical axis.

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Example: to graph P (6, -8) we move right 6 from
the origin, then down 8

P (6, -8)
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Example 2: to graph P (0, -9) we move right 0 from
the origin, then down 9

P (0, -9)

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9
Distance bet ween t wo points

The lenght of the segment

bet ween the t wo points is the
distance bet ween them

How can we find it?

10
 Let's do some examples
+4

The distance +3 B(1,3)

bet ween C and D is 4 The
+2
distance
bet ween A and
C(-4,1) +1 A(1,1) B is 2

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1

-2

D(-4, -3) -3
d = |y2 - y1|

-4
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 +4

The distance +3
bet ween C and D is 3
+2 d = |x2 - x1|
+1
C(-4,1) D(-1, 1)

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1

-2 B(1,-2)
A(-3, -2)

-3
The distance bet ween
A and B is 4 -4
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 Can you find +4
the general B(3,3)
formula? +3

+2
The distance
bet ween A and B
+1 is 5

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1
C(-3,-1) A(0, -1)

-2

The distance
-3
bet ween C and D is 5
-4
D(1, -4)
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 P(x ,y )
2 2

d=?

90°

Q(x ,y )
1 1

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15
 The midpoint
+4

B(3,3)
+3
Can you find
the general +2 M(2, 2)
formula?
+1
A(1, 1)

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1
C(-4, -1)
-2
N(-1, -2)
-3
D(2,-3)

-4
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The midpoint is the point half way bet ween each of
the points.
P(x ,y )
1 1
y1

yM

M(x =?, y =?)

M M

Q(x ,y )
2 2
y 2

x2 xM x1

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18
M

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 Symmetry in the cartesian plane
Two points A and A' are symmetric with respect to a line if
this line is the axis of the segment AA'

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Symmetry with respect the x axis
+4
A' is the
Can you find the +3
symmetric of A with
general formula? +2 A'(1,2) respect the x axis

B(-4,1) +1

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
B'(-4,-1) -1

-2 A(1,-2)

B' is the symmetric of B -3

with respect the x axis
-4
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Symmetry with respect the x axis

P(x,y)

P'(x,-y)

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 Symmetry with respect the y axis
+4

Can you find the +3 A' is the symmetric of A

general formula? with respect the y axis
A(-1,2) +2 A'(1,2)

+1

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1 B(4,-1)
B'(-4,-1)

-2
B' is the
symmetric of B with -3
respect the y axis
-4
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Symmetry with respect the y axis

P(x,y) P'(-x,y)

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 Symmetry with respect the origin
+4

Can you find the +3

B(4,3)

general formula?
A(-1,2) +2

+1

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1
B' is the
A'(1,-2)
symmetric of B -2

-3 A' is the symmetric of A

B'(-4,-3)
with respect the origin
-4
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Symmetry with respect the origin

P'(-x,-y)

P(x,y)

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Polygons in the cartesian plane
+4

+3
Draw the polygon of vertex
A(-2,-3) B(3,-4) and C (4,0)
+2

+1
C(4,0)

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1

-2
Convex polygon
-3
A(-2,-3)

-4 B(3,-4)

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Polygons in the cartesian plane
+4

Draw the polygon of +3

vertex A(-3,1) B(1,2) C (-1,-2) and B(1,2)

D(-1,1) +2

A(-3,1) +1
D(-1,1) Concave polygon

-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
-1

-2
C(-1,-2)

-3

-4
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