Meaning of Coordinates

Explore the x and y coordinates of a point. Discover the meaning of a changing coordinate pair.

Putting It All Together

[i]Answer these open ended questions on your own or with others to form deeper math connections.[/i]

Which statements are true?

If the bee sits on the [math]y[/math]-axis, the 1st coordinate is zero. If the bee sits on the [math]x[/math]-axis, the 1st coordinate is zero. The 1st coordinate changes when the bee is moved up or down. The 1st coordinate changes when the bee is moved left or right. The 2nd coordinate changes when the bee is moved up or down. The 2nd coordinate changes when the bee is moved left or right.

What does the [math]x[/math]-coordinate describe?

The distance of the point from the origin of the coordinate system The number of steps to the right I have to go up that many steps. That's how far I need to go in the direction of the [math]x[/math]-axis.

Meaning of Coordinates

Putting It All Together

Information: Meaning of Coordinates