Graphing ordered pairs on a coordinate plane is a very important way to visually represent the relationship between the two variables of a data set.

Plotting Rational Number Points

Use the interactive below to practice plotting ordered pairs of rational numbers. For each of the given points, drag the point to the location indicated by the coordinates next to the point.

Use the interactive to answer the following questions.

• Which coordinate corresponds with the horizontal axis (x-axis), the first or second coordinate?

  Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

  Check Your Answer

  The first coordinate is the x-value of the ordered pair, so it corresponds with the distance from the origin along the x-axis.

• Which coordinate corresponds with the vertical axis (y-axis), the first or second coordinate?

  Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

  Check Your Answer

  The second coordinate is the y-value of the ordered pair, so it corresponds with the distance from the origin along the y-axis.

• What does the sign of the coordinate tell you about the direction of the point from the origin?

  Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

  Check Your Answer

  If the sign is positive, then the coordinate will be to the right or above the origin. If the sign is negative, then the coordinate will be to the left or below the origin.

Pause and Reflect

Data sets are sometimes presented in tabular form instead of ordered pairs.

x	4	-2.1	7.8	0
y	1	5	-3	4

How would you graph the points represented by the data in the table?

Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

Check Your Answer

One way to graph the data is to rewrite the number pairs as ordered pairs. For example, the x-y pair in the first column of the table represents the ordered pair (4, 1). Once you have ordered pairs, then you can graph the data like you normally would.

Practice

Use the graph below to identify the coordinates of the given points.

1. Point N

   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Need a hint?

   To get to point N from the origin, would you need to go left or right, and then go up or down? How far do you go in each direction?
   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Check Your Answer

   (−5, −4)
2. Point K

   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Need a hint?

   To get to point K from the origin, would you need to go left or right, and then go up or down? How far do you go in each direction?
   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Check Your Answer

   (-4, 8)
3. Point L

   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Need a hint?

   To get to point L from the origin, would you need to go left or right, and then go up or down? How far do you go in each direction?
   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Check Your Answer

   (0, 5)
4. Point P

   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Need a hint?

   To get to point P from the origin, would you need to go left or right, and then go up or down? How far do you go in each direction?
   Interactive popup. Assistance may be required.

   Check Your Answer

   (5, -3)