Basics of Cartesian Coordinate System, Axes & Quadrants

Cartesian Coordinate System is used to describe the position of a point in a plane using coordinates in coordinate geometry. Coordinates are the way of telling the position of a point using numbers.
Rene Discartes invented the Coordinate System and the term Cartesian Coordinate System is named after the name of Discartes mathematician to honour the inventor.
The cartesian geometry system introduces coordinate axes, coordinates and quadrants to describe the position of a point in a plane and its distances from other points.
Let's learn about these new terms next.

x and y coordinate axes

The cartesian coordinate system uses a plane which has two mutually perpendicular lines which are called coordinate axes. Out of the two perpendicular lines, one line is in horizontal position and another line is in vertical position. The figure below shows how the two coordinate axes look like.

Horizontal axis in coordinate geometry

The horizontal line marked with XX^' is called the x-axis.

Horizontal axis in coordinate geometry

Vertical axis in coordinate geometry

The vertical line marked with YY^' is called the y-axis.

Vertical axis in coordinate geometry

Note

Mind the words axis and axes, how they are used. Axis is used to represent one axis, it is singular. On the other hand, axes is used to represent more than one axis, which is plural.

Positive and negative directions of axes

In the figure below, both axes, x-axis and y-axis intersect each other at point O and are perpendicular to each other. The point O is called the origin.

The x-axis has two sides, one side lies on the right side of the y-axis and can be read as OX. The second side lies on the left side of the y-axis and is read as OX^'. Similarly, the y-axis has two sides, top and bottom of the x-axis. The top side of the y-axis is read as OY and bottom side of the y-axis is OY'.
The OX on x-axis and OY on y-axis are called as positive directions of x-axis and y-axis respectively. Similarly, the OX^' on x-axis and OY^' on y-axis are called negative directions of x-axis and y-axis respectively.

Directions of axis in coordinate geometry

Positive directions of x-axis = OX
Positive directions of y-axis = OY
Negative directions of x-axis = OX^'
Negative directions of y-axis = OY^'

How to scale x and y axes?

Scaling of axes is meant by marking the x-axis and y-axis with numbers which are placed at equal distances.
In the above figure, the ray OX on x-axis has positive numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, ....) and ray OX^' has negative numbers (-1, -2, -3, -4, ....) only. Similarly,
The ray OY on the y-axis has positive numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, ....) and ray OY^' has negative numbers (-1, -2, -3, -4, ....) on it. In other words, we can say that positive numbers lie in the directions of ray OX and ray OY and the negative numbers lie in the direction of ray OX^' and ray OY^'.

What are the four quadrants?

The two coordinate axes x-axis and y-axis in coordinate geometry divide the plane into four parts. These four parts are called quadrants.

Quadrants in coordinate geometry

Here, the x-axis and y-axis is divide the plane into four parts which are XOY, X^'OY, X^'OY^' and XOY^'.
XOY is called the first quadrant.
X^'OY is called the second quadrant.
X^'OY^' is called the third quadrant.
XOY^' is called the fourth quadrant.
Also, the four quadrants are numbered as I, II, III and IV anticlockwise starting from the first quadrant XOY and the last quadrant as XOY^'.

Locate coordinates of a point

Any point in a plane can lie in any of the four quadrants I, II, III or IV. The position of a point in the plane is called the coordinates of that point. Coordinates of the point in a quadrant is determined by knowing its perpendicular distances from its nearest x-axis and y-axis.
Coordinates of a point is written by writing its perpendicular distance in brackets in the format of (x,y), where x is the perpendicular distance of the point from x-axis and y is the perpendicular distance of the point from y-axis.
The x-axis coordinate of a point is called an abscissa.
The y-axis coordinate of a point is called ordinate.
Coordinates of a point can be written only in specific order i.e (x,y). First we write abscissa followed by ordinate and separated by a comma.

Let's take an example to understand it precisely

Example of coordinates of a point in a quadrant

Coordinates of a point in coordinate geometry

In the above figure,
P is the point that lies in the first quadrant and is marked as P.
The perpendicular distance PN of point P from y-axis is 3 units, measured along the positive direction of x-axis as OM which is 3 units.
The perpendicular distance PM of point P from x-axis is 4 units, measured along the positive direction of y-axis as ON which is 4 units.
So, the perpendicular distance of point P from y-axis is 3 and x-axis is 4, so the coordinate of point P can be written as (3,4).

Note

Abscissa and ordinate of a point cannot be interchanged.
i.e. (x,y) ≠ (y,x)
Moreover, (x,y) = (y,x) if x = y

Note

Coordinates of origin are always written as (0,0) because the perpendicular distance of origin from x-axis is zero and from y-axis is also zero.

Note

The ordinate of any point on the x-axis is 0 i.e coordinate of any point on the x-axis is (x,0).
The abscissa of any point on the y-axis is 0 i.e coordinate of any point on the y-axis is (0,y).

Sign conventions used in quadrants

Any point that lies in the first quadrant will always have positive abscissa and positive ordinate. The first quadrant has points with sign (+,+).
The point that lies in the second quadrant has negative abscissa and positive ordinate. The second quadrant has points with sign (-,+).
Any point that lies in the third quadrant has negative abscissa and negative ordinate. The third quadrant has points with sign (-,-).
Any point that lies in the fourth quadrant has positive abscissa and negative ordinate. The fourth quadrant has points with sign (+,-).

Sign conventions in quadrants in coordinate geometry

X-axis XOX' and y-axis YOY' divide the coordinate plane into four quadrants.
The ray OX is regarded as a positive x-axis.
The ray OY is regarded as a positive y-axis.
The ray OX^' is regarded as the negative x-axis.
The ray OY^' is regarded as the negative y-axis.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is coordinate geometry?

The branch of mathematics in which the coordinate system is used to solve geometric problems is known as coordinate geometry.

2) What else is a horizontal line passing through origin called as?

The horizontal line is called the x-axis.

3) What else is a vertical line passing through origin called as?

The vertical line is called the y-axis.

4) What is called the x coordinate of a point as?

The x coordinate of a point is called an abscissa.

5) What is called the y coordinate of a point as?

The y coordinate of a point is called as ordinate.

Solved Examples

1) Plot the points P(3,4), Q(-5,3), R(6,0) and S(-5,0) on the graph paper.

Points P, Q, R and S plotted on graph using cartesian coordinates

Solution
Point P(3,4) lies in the first quadrant. So we move 3 units along OX and 4 units in upward direction i.e along OY.
Point Q(-5,3) lies in the second quadrant. So we move 5 units along OX' and 3 units in upward direction i.e along OY.
Point R(6,0) lies on the positive direction of the x-axis at the distance of 6 units from the origin.
Point S(-5,0) lies on the negative direction of the x-axis at the distance of 5 units from the origin.

2) Plot the points A(3,-4), B(-3,-5), C(0,5) and D(0,-2) on the graph paper.

Cartesian coordinates of points A, B, C and D plotted on graph

Solution
Point A(3,-4) lies in the fourth quadrant. So we move 3 units along OX and 4 units in downward direction i.e along OY'.
Point B(-3,-5) lies in the third quadrant. So we move 3 units along OX' and 5 units in downward direction i.e along OY'.
Point C(0,5) lies on the positive direction of the y-axis at the distance of 5 units from the origin.
Point D(0,-2) lies on the negative direction of the y-axis at the distance of 2 units from the origin.

3) Locate the points A(3,3), B(-3,3), C(-3,-3) and D(3,-3) on graph paper. Name the figure by joining these points. Also find its perimeter.

Points A(3,3), B(-3,3), C(-3,-3) and D(3,-3) plotted on graph

Solution
The figure joined by these points is a square.
AB = BC = CD = DA = 6 units
side of square = 6 units
Perimeter of square= 4 × 6 = 24 units

4) Plot the points A(3,2), B(-4,2), C(-4,-2) and D(3,-2) on graph paper. Name the figure by joining these points. Also find its area.

Points A(3,2), B(-4,2), C(-4,-2) and D(3,-2) plotted on graph

Solution
AB = CD = 7 units
BC = AD = 4 units
So, ABCD is a rectangle
Area of rectangle = length × breadth
= 7 × 4 = 28 sq. units

5) Plot the points M(3,0), N(3,4), and O(0,0) on graph paper. Find area of the figure by joining these points.

Points M(3,0), N(3,4), and O(0,0) plotted on graph

Solution
The figure is a right angled triangle when we join these points.
OM = 3 units
MN = 4 units
∠OMN = 90⁰
Area of ΔOMN = $\frac{1}{2} \times base \times height$
= $\frac{1}{2} \times OM \times MN$
= $\frac{1}{2} \times 3 \times 4$
= 6 sq. units

Fill in Blanks Worksheet

Type:	Blanks
Count:	1

x-coordinate is known as ___________.
Ordinate of all points on the x-axis is ___________.
A point whose both coordinates are negative, this point will lie in the ___________ quadrant.
The abscissa of a point (-3, 4) is ___________.
The point (0, 7) lies on ___________.
The perpendicular distance of the point (4, 6) from the y-axis is ___________.
The points (-4, 5) and (-8, 5) have the same ___________.
The x-axis and y-axis intersect at ___________.
The horizontal line in a cartesian plane is known as ___________.
The point (4, 5) lies in ___________ quadrant.

Help box

first

origin

third

abscissa

x-axis

ordinate

y-axis

-3

Blanks PDF Worksheet

Write True or False Worksheet

Type:	True False
Count:	1

S.N.	Statement	✓ or ✕
1)	x-axis and y-axis together both are called coordinate axes.
2)	x coordinate is called ordinate.
3)	x-axis and y-axis intersect at origin
4)	Coordinates of a point can written as (y-coordinate, x-coordinate)
5)	Coordinate axes divide the plane into four quadrants.
6)	The point (0, 4) lies on the y-axis.
7)	The point (0, -4) lies on the x-axis.
8)	In second quadrant, a point has sign (+, -)
9)	The point (-3, -4) lies in the second quadrant.
10)	The points (4, 6) and (4, 5) have the same abscissa.

True False PDF Worksheet

Match Columns Worksheet

Type:	Matching
Count:	1

1)	(4, 0)	a)	A point on negative y-axis
2)	XY plane	b)	A point in IIIrd quadrant
3)	(0, 0)	c)	A point in IVth quadrant
4)	(-2, -5)	d)	A point on x-axis
5)	(2, -5)	e)	Cartesian plane
6)	(0, -7)	e)	Point of intersection of x-axis and y-axis

Matching PDF Worksheet

Geometry Worksheets

Type:	Geometry
Count:	2

Plot the following points on the graph paper.
1. (-2, 0)
2. (-4, -5)
3. (7, -2)
4. (0, -4)
Write the coordinates of points A, B, C, D and E.
Write the quadrant of following points where they lie.
1. (5, 1)
2. (-2, -4)
3. (4, -5)
4. (-10, 4)
Check which of the following points lie on the x-axis.
1. (0, -4)
2. (4, 0)
3. (-9, 0)
4. (0, 5)
Check which of the following points lie on the y-axis.
1. (0, 2)
2. (0, -2)
3. (2, 0)
4. (-2, 0)