Build the plane and plot (3, 2)
Today we'll build a coordinate plane — a grid that can pinpoint any spot using just two numbers.
Start with a horizontal number line going left and right. We call this the x-axis.
Now draw a second number line going up and down, crossing the first at a right angle. This is the y-axis.
The point where the two axes cross is called the origin. Here, both x and y are zero.
Mark equal steps along the x-axis going right: one, two, three, four, five.
Do the same on the y-axis going up: one, two, three, four.
The corner where both x and y are positive is called the first quadrant — that's where we'll work today.
Let's locate the point three, two. The first number is the x — how far right. The second is the y — how far up.
Start at the origin and step three units to the right along the x-axis.
From there, step two units straight up, parallel to the y-axis.
Drop a point right there. That's the location three, two!
Two axes, one origin, and a grid that can find any point. That's the coordinate plane!