medium difficulty5 min

Plotting Points

Plotting a point means marking its position on the Cartesian plane using its ordered pair (x, y), where x is the abscissa and y is the ordinate.

In one line: Run on x, climb on y.

Practice This Concept

Understand it

The first number tells movement along the x-axis, and the second number tells movement parallel to the y-axis. Positive x means right, negative x means left, positive y means up, and negative y means down. The point is marked where these two movements meet.

Example

To plot (3, 2), move 3 units right from the origin and then 2 units up.

Formula and rule

Ordered pair rule: (x, y) means first move along x-axis, then move parallel to y-axis.

See it worked out

Follow the example line by line, then use the same method on new questions.

Worked example

1Plot (-4, -3): from origin move 4 units left, then 3 units down.
2The point lies in Quadrant III because both coordinates are negative.

Method you can reuse

Draw axes, choose scale, start at origin, move according to x, move according to y, mark and label the point.

Sketch it in your answer

Use graph paper with equal scale on both axes. Mark origin, count units carefully, and place a dot at the final intersection.

Check yourself

Answer the question in your head before opening the answer.

Try it yourself

How will you plot the point (-2, 5)?

Think first, then show answer

To plot (-2, 5), move 2 units left from the origin because x is negative, then move 5 units up because y is positive, and mark the point there.

Common wrong answer

Plotting (-4, -3) as 4 units right and 3 units down.

Why it loses marks: The negative x-coordinate means left.

Don't mix this up

Students often plot (x, y) as (y, x), especially when both numbers are positive.

Exam tip

Say 'x first, y next' while plotting. This avoids most plotting errors.

Plotting Points diagram

Open full screen to read every label clearly.

Write it in the exam

Each point is worth about one mark. Write point 1 for a 1-mark question and keep adding points as the marks go up.

How CBSE asks it

Students may be asked to plot given points, name the coordinates of marked points, or identify incorrectly plotted points.

1
Enough for 1 mark
Plotting a point means marking its position on the Cartesian plane using its ordered pair (x, y), where x is the abscissa and y is the ordinate.
2
Add for 2 marks
Example: To plot (3, 2), move 3 units right from the origin and then 2 units up.
3
Add for 3 marks
The first number tells movement along the x-axis, and the second number tells movement parallel to the y-axis.

MCQ Quiz

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