Learn the 3-Step Method
1Same rule: (x, y).
Across first (negative = left), then up (negative = down).
2Know the quadrants.
Top-right (+,+) · top-left (−,+) · bottom-left (−,−) · bottom-right (+,−).
3Points on the axes.
On the y-axis, x = 0: (0, 4). On the x-axis, y = 0: (−2, 0).
Worked Example
Which quadrant is each point in?
Watch Out! Common Mistakes
Check signs! Negative x goes left of the y-axis.
Wrong! Negative x AND negative y → bottom-left quadrant.
Still start at 0! From the origin, −3 means three steps left. The origin itself is (0, 0).
⬇ Cheat Sheet
- (x, y): negative x = left, negative y = down.
- Quadrants: (+,+) TR · (−,+) TL · (−,−) BL · (+,−) BR.
- On the y-axis: x = 0. On the x-axis: y = 0.
- Read each sign separately.
📖 Continue Your Journey
Quick summary
- The (x, y) rule is unchanged: across first, up second.
- Negative x means left of the y-axis; negative y means below the x-axis.
- Quadrants by signs: (+,+) top-right, (−,+) top-left, (−,−) bottom-left, (+,−) bottom-right.
- Points with x = 0 sit on the y-axis; with y = 0, on the x-axis.
Frequently asked questions
How do you plot negative coordinates?
Treat the signs as directions: (−3, 2) means 3 steps left of the origin, then 2 up. Negative y would mean going down instead.
What are the four quadrants?
The four regions the axes create. Reading anticlockwise from top-right: (+,+), (−,+), (−,−), (+,−).
When do children learn four-quadrant coordinates?
Plotting in all four quadrants is a Year 6 objective in England and appears regularly in SATs and 11+ papers.
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