Read across, then up
The coordinate (3, 2) means 3 across and 2 up.
across
up
Across comes before up.
Year 4
Describe positions on a 2-D grid as coordinates in the first quadrant
Read and describe coordinates in the first quadrant by moving along first and then up.
Lesson overview
Geometry - position and direction
In the first quadrant, the first number tells how far across to move and the second number tells how far up to move.
Coordinates name a point
A point label can be matched to one coordinate pair.
| Point | Coordinate |
|---|---|
| A | (3, 2) |
| B | (5, 1) |
| C | (2, 4) |
Match the label to the ordered pair.
The order matters
(2, 5) is not the same point as (5, 2).
2 across, 5 up
5 across, 2 up
Swapping the order changes the position.
Worked example
What does the coordinate (4, 1) tell you?
- Read the first number first.
- The 4 means move 4 across.
- The 1 means move 1 up.
- So the point is 4 across and 1 up.
Round 1: Learn it
Read each coordinate pair carefully and keep the order the same.
Finish this round to unlock Round 2: Show you know it.
Question 1
What does the first number in (3, 5) tell you?
across
up
Question 2
Which coordinate means 2 across and 4 up?
| Across | Up |
|---|---|
| 2 | 4 |
Question 3
In the coordinate (6, 1), what is the across number?
Question 4
Which coordinate is different from (5, 2)?
5 across, 2 up
2 across, 5 up
Question 5
Which reminder is correct?
Common mistakes
Watch for these as you work through the lesson.
- Reading up before across.
- Mixing up the order of the numbers in a coordinate pair.
- Thinking swapped numbers describe the same point.
Related topics
These ideas connect closely to this lesson.
- Describe movements between positions as translations of a given unit to the left or right and up or down.
- Plot specified points and draw sides to complete a given polygon.