X and Y Coordinates - Definition, Examples, How to Find (2024)

X and Y Coordinates help in identifying a point in the coordinate axes and are written as the ordered pair (x, y). The coordinates of a point are referred as (x, y), where x represents the position of the point with reference to the x-axis, and y represents the position of the point with reference to the y-axis.

Let us learn more about x and y coordinates, their location, and their uses.

1.What Are X and Y Coordintes?
2.X and Y Coordinates in Four Quadrants
3.How to Find X and Y Coordinates?
4.Uses of X and Y Coordinates
5.Examples on X and Y Coordinates
6.Practice Questions
7.FAQs on X and Y Coordinates

What Are X and Y Coordinates?

X and Y coordinates is an address, which helps to locate a point in two-dimensional space. Any point in the coordinate plane is referred by a point (x, y), where the x value is the position of the point with reference to the x-axis, and the y value is the position of the point with reference to the y-axis. The x and y coordinates of a point have positive or negative values, based on the location of the point in the different quadrants.

Here let us look at these two important terms relating to x and y coordinates.

  • Abscissa (x coordinate): It is the x value in the point (x, y), and is the length of the perpendicular drawn from the point to the y-axis. i.e., it is the horizontal distance from the point to the y-axis.
  • Ordinate (y-coordinate) : It is the y value in the point (x, y)., and is the length of the perpendicular drawn from the point to the x-axis. i.e., it is the vertical distance from the point to the x-axis.

X and Y Coordinates In Four Quadrants

The properties of the x and y coordinates of a point represented in the four quadrants of the cartesian plane are as follows.:

  • The x and y coordinates of the origin is equal to (0, 0), which is the point of intersection of the x-axis and y-axis.
  • The x and y coordinates of a point on the x-axis is of the form (a, 0), and here the y coordinate of the point is equal to zero.
  • The x and y coordinates of a point on the y-axis is of the form (0, b) and here the x coordinate of the point is equal to zero.
  • The point represented in the first quadrant (x, y) has both positive values and is plotted with reference to the positive x-axis and the positive y-axis.
  • The point represented in the second quadrant is (-x, y) and is plotted with reference to the negative x-axis and positive y-axis.
  • The point represented in the third quadrant (-x, -y) is plotted with reference to the negative x-axis and negative y-axis.
  • The point represented in the fourth quadrant (x, -y) is plotted with reference to the positive x-axis and negative y-axis.

X and Y Coordinates - Definition, Examples, How to Find (1)

How to Find X and Y Coordinates?

To find the x and y coordinates of a given point,

  • See what is its perpendicular distance from the y-axis and it is your x-coordinate (x).
  • See what is its perpendicular distance from the x-axis and it is your y-coordinate (y).
  • Write the x and y values in the ordered pair (x, y) and change the signs of x and y according to the quadrant that it lies in.

Example: Find the x and y coordinates of the point A shown.

X and Y Coordinates - Definition, Examples, How to Find (2)

Solution:

Draw horizontal and vertical lines from point A to the y and x-axes respectively and see what they measure.

X and Y Coordinates - Definition, Examples, How to Find (3)

Now, keeping in mind that point A lies in quadrant 4, A = (2, -5).

Uses of X and Y Coordinates

The x and y coordinates of a point are useful to perform numerous operations of finding distance, midpoint, the slope of a line, equation of a line, etc. Further, some of the other important uses of the x and y coordinates of a point are as follows.

  • The x and y coordinates help in locating a point on the coordinate axes.
  • The x and y coordinates for two given points can be used to find the distance between the two points.
  • The x and y coordinates for two points help in finding the slope of a line.
  • The x and y coordinates for two points help in finding the equation of a line.

Related Topics:

  • Midpoint Calculator
  • Distance Calculator
  • Slope Calculator

FAQs on X and Y Coordinates

How Do You Identify X and Y Coordinates?

The x and y coordinates can be easily identified from the given point in the coordinate axes. For a point (a, b), the first value is always the x coordinate, and the second value is always the y coordinate.

How Do You Write the X and Y Coordinates?

The x and y coordinates are written as (x, y). Here the x and y values can have positive or negative values. The x value of the point is called abscissa, and the y value of the point is called ordinate.

Which is First X or Y Coordinate?

We always write the x-coordinate first and then the y-coordinate. We write as (x, y) and we call it an "ordered pair" as there is importance for the order.

What Is the X and Y Coordinates In The Four Quadrants?

The values of x and y coordinates of a point in the four quadrants can be understood from the below points.

  • If (x, y) is in quadrant 1 then x > 0 and y > 0.
  • If (x, y) is in quadrant 2 then x < 0 and y > 0.
  • If (x, y) is in quadrant 3 then x < 0 and y < 0.
  • If (x, y) is in quadrant 4 then x > 0 and y < 0.

What Are the X and Y Coordinates Of The Origin?

The x and y coordintes of the origin is (0, 0). It is usually represented with the letter 'O'.

X and Y Coordinates - Definition, Examples, How to Find (2024)
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