How to teach coordinates
Grade 4 to Grade 6
Coordinates pinpoint a location on a grid using an ordered pair of numbers, such as (3, 2). The first number is how far across (the x axis), the second is how far up (the y axis). The two axes cross at the origin, (0, 0). Getting the order right, across before up, is the whole skill at this level.
How to teach it
- Start with a grid where only the lines are numbered, and plot points where lines cross, not in the squares.
- Teach the order with a phrase like 'along the corridor, then up the stairs': the x value first, then the y.
- Always begin counting from the origin (0, 0) for every point.
- Practise both directions: read the coordinates of a marked point, and plot a point from a given pair.
- Extend to all four quadrants with negative coordinates, and to simple shapes and reflections, once the first quadrant is secure.
Common mistakes
- Reversing the pair and plotting (3, 2) as 2 across and 3 up.
- Counting the squares instead of the grid lines.
- Starting the count from somewhere other than the origin.
- Muddling which axis is x and which is y.
Frequently asked questions
What are coordinates?
Coordinates pinpoint a location on a grid using an ordered pair of numbers, such as (3, 2). The first number is how far across along the x axis, and the second is how far up along the y axis. The axes cross at the origin, (0, 0).
What age or grade are coordinates taught?
Coordinates are usually taught from Grade 4 to Grade 6. Students start in the first quadrant, plotting and reading points, then extend to all four quadrants with negative coordinates and to simple shapes and reflections.
Which coordinate comes first, across or up?
Across comes first, then up. In (3, 2) you go 3 along the x axis, then 2 up the y axis. A phrase like 'along the corridor, then up the stairs' helps children remember the order, which is the whole skill at this level.
What is the origin in coordinates?
The origin is the point (0, 0) where the x and y axes cross. Every point is counted from the origin, so it is the fixed starting place for reading and plotting coordinates. Beginning the count from anywhere else gives the wrong position.
Do you plot points on the lines or in the squares?
On the lines, where they cross, not in the squares. At this level a grid is numbered along its lines, and each point sits at an intersection. Counting the squares instead of the grid lines is a common mistake that shifts the point out of place.
What are the four quadrants?
When the x and y axes are extended below and left of the origin, they divide the grid into four regions called quadrants, using negative as well as positive coordinates. Students meet the first quadrant, with positive values, first, then extend to all four once it is secure.
Why does my child plot coordinates the wrong way round?
Reversing the pair, plotting (3, 2) as 2 across and 3 up, is the most common error, along with muddling which axis is x and which is y. A fixed phrase for the order, and always counting from the origin, keeps the pair the right way round.
Practise with free worksheets
Printable worksheets with answer keys that are never wrong.