Working with Functions: Background You’ll Need 2

  • Graph points on a coordinate plane

The Cartesian coordinate system, also called the rectangular coordinate system, is based on a two-dimensional plane consisting of the x-axis and the y-axis.

Perpendicular to each other, the axes divide the plane into four sections. Each section is called a quadrant; the quadrants are numbered counterclockwise as shown in the figure below.

This is an image of an x, y plane with the axes labeled. The upper right section is labeled: Quadrant I. The upper left section is labeled: Quadrant II. The lower left section is labeled: Quadrant III. The lower right section is labeled: Quadrant IV.
coordinate plane with labels for each quadrant

The center of the plane is the point at which the two axes cross. It is known as the origin or point [latex]\left(0,0\right)[/latex]. From the origin, each axis is further divided into equal units: increasing, positive numbers to the right on the x-axis and up the y-axis; decreasing, negative numbers to the left on the x-axis and down the y-axis. The axes extend to positive and negative infinity as shown by the arrowheads in the figure below.

This is an image of an x, y coordinate plane. The x and y axis range from negative 5 to 5.
x,y, coordinate plane ranging from -5 to 5

Cartesian coordinate system

A two-dimensional plane where the

  • [latex]x[/latex]-axis is the horizontal axis
  • [latex]y[/latex]-axis is the vertical axis

A point in the plane is defined as an ordered pair, [latex](x,y)[/latex], such that [latex]x[/latex] is determined by its horizontal distance from the origin and [latex]y[/latex] is determined by its vertical distance from the origin.

Plotting Points

Each point in the plane is identified by its x-coordinate, or horizontal displacement from the origin, and its y-coordinate, or vertical displacement from the origin. Together we write them as an ordered pair indicating the combined distance from the origin in the form [latex]\left(x,y\right)[/latex].

For example, we can represent the point [latex]\left(3,-1\right)[/latex] in the plane by moving three units to the right of the origin in the horizontal direction and one unit down in the vertical direction.

This is an image of an x, y coordinate plane. The x and y axis range from negative 5 to 5. The point (3, -1) is labeled. An arrow extends rightward from the origin 3 units and another arrow extends downward one unit from the end of that arrow to the point.
An illustration of how to plot the point (3,-1).
Plot the points [latex]\left(-2,4\right)[/latex], [latex]\left(3,3\right)[/latex], and [latex]\left(0,-3\right)[/latex] in the coordinate plane.

Note that when either coordinate is zero, the point must be on an axis. If the x-coordinate is zero, the point is on the y-axis. If the y-coordinate is zero, the point is on the x-axis.