Coordinates help us find points on a graph. A graph is like a map made up of two lines that cross each other.

One line goes side to side, and we call it the x-axis. The other line goes up and down, and we call it the y-axis.

When we want to describe a location on this graph, we use something called an ordered pair. We write this as ((x, y)).

In this pair:

• (x) tells us how far to move left or right from the starting point, called the origin, which is (0,0).
• (y) tells us how far to move up or down.

Example:

Let’s look at the point (3, 2):

• First, move 3 units to the right from the origin.
• Then, move 2 units up.

Steps to Find a Point:

1. Start at the origin (0,0).
2. Move to the right to number 3 on the x-axis.
3. Move up to number 2 on the y-axis.
4. Mark your point!

Using coordinates like this helps us see and understand how different things are connected. This makes it easier to look at and understand data as we learn more about math!