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Identify and Write Ordered Pairs

Students learn to identify and write ordered pairs (x, y) that represent points on the coordinate plane. They understand that the first number describes horizontal position and the second describes vertical position.

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Identify and Write Ordered Pairs

Grade 5 · Coordinate Plane · question 1 of 3

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20 rungs. A star at the top.

Which pair is farther up from the origin, (4, 2) or (4, 7)?

How it is taught

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An ordered pair names a point.

The first number is x, across.

The second number is y, up.

Read it: Points on the coordinate plane

The point (4, 5): start at (0, 0), where the axes cross. Walk 4 across, along the x-axis, then 5 up. The first number is always across, the second always up.

  1. Start at (0, 0), where the x-axis and the y-axis cross.
  2. Walk the first number across, to the right.
  3. Walk the second number up, and mark the point.

Across first, then up, so every pair names exactly one point.

(4, 5) and (5, 4) are different points: the order is part of the pair.

A point on an axis has a 0 in its pair: (4, 0) is on the x-axis.

The first number goes across and the second goes up, always from (0, 0).

Walking 5 across and 4 up, which lands on (5, 4).

The first number goes across: (4, 5) is 4 across, then 5 up.

A point is 8 across and 9 up from (0, 0). Its pair is (8, ___) — 9. Across comes first and up comes second: (8, 9).

Plot the ordered pair (3, 2)

Today we'll learn how to read and write ordered pairs — pairs of numbers that name a point on a coordinate plane.

Here's our coordinate plane. The horizontal line is the x-axis, and the vertical line is the y-axis.

Each axis is numbered, starting at zero where they meet.

Let's plot this ordered pair: three, two.

Ordered Pairs (x, y)Two numbers that name a pointxy01234512345(3,2)xyright 3up 2(3, 2)POINT(3, 2)x then y
Grade 5 · Reading and writing points on the coordinate plane

The first number is always the x-coordinate. The second number is always the y-coordinate.

We start at the origin — the point where both axes cross at zero.

The x is three, so we move right three units along the x-axis.

The y is two, so we move up two units.

Mark the spot. That's our point!

The ordered pair three, two lands right here. Remember: x first, then y!

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics
Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal
1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now
Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

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