The Four-Quadrant Coordinate Plane
Aligned to 6.NS.C.8 — Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.
What this lesson teaches
The coordinate plane has four quadrants set by the signs of x and y. To find the distance between two points on the same horizontal or vertical line, subtract the coordinates that change (or add absolute values across an axis).
Worked example
From (−3, 2) to (4, 2), the y stays 2, so the distance is the gap in x: |−3| + |4| = 3 + 4 = 7 units.
Practice questions
- Name the quadrant of the point (−5, −2).
- Find the distance from (1, −6) to (1, 3).
- Plot (−4, 3) and (2, 3), then find how far apart they are.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
El Plano Cartesiano de Cuatro Cuadrantes
El plano cartesiano tiene cuatro cuadrantes según los signos de x y y. Para hallar la distancia entre dos puntos en la misma línea horizontal o vertical, resta las coordenadas que cambian (o suma valores absolutos al cruzar un eje).
Ejemplo: De (−3, 2) a (4, 2), la y sigue en 2, así que la distancia es la diferencia en x: |−3| + |4| = 3 + 4 = 7 unidades.
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