Coordinate Plane

A free, interactive coordinate plane. Tap the grid or type an ordered pair to plot a point and see which quadrant it is in; switch ranges, hide the numbers, or print a blank grid.

Tap anywhere on the grid to plot a point, or type one above.

Negative numbers are half of every coordinate plane.

Plotting in all four quadrants means working with signed numbers. Num Drill's pre-algebra drills build that fluency in short, adaptive 10-question quizzes.

Start a quiz Pre-algebra practice

What a coordinate plane is

A coordinate plane is two number lines crossed at right angles. The horizontal one is the x-axis, the vertical one is the y-axis, and they meet at the origin, (0, 0). Every point on the grid has an address — an ordered pair (x, y) — that says how far it is from the origin across and up or down. If the number line gives every number a place, the coordinate plane gives every pair of numbers one.

Ordered pairs: x first, then y

The order matters: (3, 5) and (5, 3) are different points. The first number is x, the move left or right; the second is y, the move up or down. A common way to remember it is “along the hallway, then up the stairs” — you walk across before you climb. To plot (−4, 6), start at the origin, go 4 left, then 6 up.

The four quadrants

The axes cut the plane into four quadrants, numbered I to IV counterclockwise from the top right. The signs of x and y tell you which one a point is in:

Quadrant I: x positive, y positive — (3, 4)
Quadrant II: x negative, y positive — (−5, 2)
Quadrant III: x negative, y negative — (−6, −3)
Quadrant IV: x positive, y negative — (4, −7)

A point with a 0 in it sits on an axis — (0, 5) is on the y-axis and (−8, 0) on the x-axis — and belongs to no quadrant.

Reflections and distance

Changing the sign of one coordinate reflects a point across an axis: (3, 4) and (3, −4) are mirror images across the x-axis, and (3, 4) and (−3, 4) across the y-axis. When two points share an x or a y, the distance between them is easy to count: (3, 4) and (3, −2) are 4 + 2 = 6 units apart, because one is 4 above the x-axis and the other 2 below it.

Coordinate planes by grade

5th grade: the first quadrant only — plotting points and graphing real-world data with whole numbers (5th grade math).
6th grade: all four quadrants, using negative numbers; reflections across the axes; distances between points that share a coordinate; drawing polygons from their vertices (6th grade math).
7th and 8th grade: graphing proportional relationships and lines, which is where the plane becomes the home of algebra (pre-algebra practice).

Printable coordinate planes

Use Hide numbers and Print above for a quick blank grid, or grab a ready-made PDF: a blank coordinate plane (−10 to 10), four planes per page, a first-quadrant grid (0 to 20), and a plotting points worksheet with twelve points and a plotted answer key. All free, no login, alongside the rest of our printable math worksheets.

Common questions

What is a coordinate plane?

A coordinate plane is a grid made by two number lines that cross at right angles: the horizontal x-axis and the vertical y-axis. They meet at the origin, (0, 0). Every point on the plane is named by an ordered pair (x, y).

How do you plot a point on a coordinate plane?

Start at the origin. Move left or right by the x-coordinate (right if positive, left if negative), then up or down by the y-coordinate (up if positive, down if negative), and mark the point. For (−4, 6), go 4 left and 6 up.

What are the four quadrants?

The axes divide the plane into four quadrants, numbered I to IV counterclockwise from the top right. Quadrant I has x and y positive, Quadrant II has x negative and y positive, Quadrant III has both negative, and Quadrant IV has x positive and y negative. Points on an axis are in no quadrant.

Which comes first in an ordered pair, x or y?

x always comes first. In (3, 5) you move 3 across and 5 up; (5, 3) is a different point. A common reminder is “along the hallway, then up the stairs.”

What grade learns the coordinate plane?

In Common Core, 5th grade graphs points in the first quadrant, and 6th grade extends to all four quadrants with negative numbers, reflections and distances. 7th and 8th grade use the plane to graph proportional relationships and lines.

Is this coordinate plane free to print?

Yes. It is free with no login. Use the Print button for a one-page version (hide the numbers first for a blank grid), or download the printable PDFs, including four planes per page and a plotting worksheet with an answer key.