Coordinate Plane
Have you ever wondered how an artist is able to look at a blank canvas and create a visual expression through a painting?
What is the coordinate plane?
The coordinate plane is a two-dimensional plane used to create graphs and is (typically) created by two perpendicular number lines called axes.
What is the Coordinate Plane.pdfParts of the Coordinate Plane: Quadrants
The x-axis and y-axis intersect to form four sections called quadrants.
Parts of the Coordinate Plane.pdfHow do you graph on the coordinate plane?
How to graph a point on the coordinate plane:
How to graph a point on the coordinate plane.pdfHow to graph a line on the coordinate plane:
How to graph a line on the coordinate plane.pdfWhy do we learn about the coordinate plane?
Math originated and continues to be discovered to explain the world in which we live. The coordinate plane is a perfect example of this in action. A food scientist uses the coordinate plane to plot new data and create what is called a scatterplot. The scatterplot is a tool that scientists can use early on in their research to look for patterns and trends of their data and identify data points that are acting as outliers. A business investor uses the coordinate plane to graph order trends over time in hopes to find a pattern among consumer’s spending during different times of the year. The coordinate plane takes raw data and creates a mathematical picture.
Math for Thought
Is a Coordinate Plane ALWAYS, SOMETIMES, or NEVER created with two perpendicular axes?
Sometimes, the axes don’t have to be perpendicular but it is so much easier when they are!
What's next: Check out Graphing Linear Equations to see the coordinate plane in action.
