Education Technology


Coordinate System

Activity Overview

Students demonstrate understanding of coordinate system and ordered pairs using Activity Center.

Before the Activity

Have all students log into the TI-Navigator.

During the Activity

  • Using the Activity Center have students plot one ordered pair in Quadrant I. After all students have submitted their point, look at the graph and table and ask students what do each of the ordered pairs have in common. Discuss any ordered pairs that are incorrect, asking students to explain what makes each point wrong and identify which Quadrant the order pairs is in or whether the ordered pair is on one of the axis.

  • Restart the activity having students plot one ordered pair in Quadrant II, Quadrant III and Quadrant IV. Each time discuss what the ordered pairs have in common.

  • Next, restart the activity and have the students plot a point on the x-axis. Discuss what each point has in common. Explain a point on the x-axis is the x-intercept. Ask students to explain how they could mathematically calculate the x-intercept given just the function.

  • Continue the same procedure with the y-axis. Identify the point as the y-intercept.
  • After the Activity

    Use quick poll to verify student understanding with the questions such as:

  • Yes/No - The point (3,-4) is in Quadrant II.
  • Yes/No - The point (0,4) is called the y-intercept.
  • Yes/No - The point that has both the x and y coordinate negative is in Quadrant IV.
  • True/False - The x-intercept is on the y-axis.