Cartesian coordiate coordinate system? - Answers

What it looks like: The cartesian coordinate plane is a virtical line (the y axis) running through a horizontal line (the x axis). It forms a cross which divides the grid that it's placed on into four quadrants. The quadrants are labeled 1, 2, 3, and 4, in counter clockwise direction, starting in the upper right corner. The point where the x and y axis meet, (0,0) is called the origin. You can graph points on the line by counting the amount f points in the first number of the coordinate (x) on the x axis, and then the second on the y. for example the coordinate (1,2) would be one space to the right and two up. Here's a URL for a picture of it.http://miniurl.com/6307What it's used for: You use the coordinate plane to graph points, line (a collection of consxutive points), or a functions (an eqaution leading to a set of points or a set of points both of which don't have the same x coordinate [basically, if you run a vertical line through whatever shape or collection of points you have, and it doesn't touch any two points at the same time, it's a function.])