Plot the points first
A polygon begins with the correct points in the correct places.
| Point | Coordinate |
|---|---|
| A | (1, 1) |
| B | (4, 1) |
| C | (4, 3) |
| D | (1, 3) |
Read each coordinate pair carefully before joining.
Year 4
Plot specified points and draw sides to complete a given polygon
Use coordinates to plot points accurately and join them in order to complete a simple polygon.
Lesson overview
Geometry - position and direction
When plotting a polygon on a grid, each point is placed using its coordinate pair. After plotting the points, join them in the correct order to make the shape.
Join the points in order
Connect A to B, then B to C, then C to D and back to A.
The order matters.
The last side closes the polygon
A polygon is complete only when the last point is joined back to the first point.
not complete
polygon complete
Check that every side has been drawn.
Worked example
Points A(2, 1), B(5, 1), C(5, 4) and D(2, 4) are plotted. What should you do next?
| Point | Coordinate |
|---|---|
| A | (2, 1) |
| B | (5, 1) |
| C | (5, 4) |
| D | (2, 4) |
- Plot each point in the correct place.
- Join A to B, B to C, C to D and D back to A.
- Check that the shape is closed.
- The completed polygon is a rectangle.
Round 1: Learn it
Read each coordinate carefully and think about the order of the points.
Finish this round to unlock Round 2: Show you know it.
Question 1
Which point should be plotted at 4 across and 2 up?
Question 2
After plotting the points of a polygon, what should you do next?
Question 3
How many points are listed here: A, B, C and D?
| Point | Coordinate |
|---|---|
| A | (1, 1) |
| B | (3, 1) |
| C | (3, 4) |
| D | (1, 4) |
Question 4
Which reminder is correct?
polygon
not finished
Question 5
Which coordinate order is correct for point C in this table?
| Point | Coordinate |
|---|---|
| A | (2, 1) |
| B | (5, 1) |
| C | (5, 3) |
Common mistakes
Watch for these as you work through the lesson.
- Plotting the coordinate in the wrong order.
- Joining the points in the wrong sequence.
- Forgetting to close the polygon.
Related topics
These ideas connect closely to this lesson.
- Describe positions on a 2-D grid as coordinates in the first quadrant.
- Describe movements between positions as translations of a given unit to the left or right and up or down.