6th grade · Math · Unit 15 of 17
Four Quadrants
Points with negative coordinates
What your child practices
Plotting and naming points in all four quadrants, reflecting points across an axis, and finding distances and areas on the coordinate plane.
Maine Learning Results learning standard: 6.NS.C.8; 6.G.A.3; 6.NS.C.6 · graphing points in all four quadrants and finding the length of a side with a shared coordinate
How we explain it
Children can open this short lesson before they practice.
- Left of 0 is negative x. Below 0 is negative y.
- Quadrant I is (+, +), II is (−, +), III is (−, −), IV is (+, −).
- Across an axis, one coordinate changes sign.
Example: How far apart are (−3, 2) and (5, 2)? Same y, so count across. 3 to get to 0, then 5 more: 3 + 5. Answer: 8 units
Four Quadrants in Maine
In the Maine Learning Results, this is unit 15 of 17 in 6th grade Math, after Center & Spread and before Unit Rates.
Gradelings describes a child's practice on this unit as Beginning, Approaching, Meeting or Exceeding (Four practice steps). That reflects practice, not a report-card mark: the teacher decides the mark.
Source: Maine Department of Education
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What are the coordinates of point P?
- (−5, 6)
- (6, −5)
- (6, 5)
- (−6, −5)
(6, −5)
Hint: Read across to x first (left is negative), then up or down to y (down is negative).
Question 2
How far apart are (3, −8) and (3, 5)?
- 10
- 14
- 13
- 3
13
Hint: The points are on opposite sides of an axis, so add the distances: 8 + 5.
Question 3
Which quadrant is the point (7, −6) in?
- Quadrant II
- Quadrant IV
- Quadrant III
- Quadrant I
Quadrant IV
Hint: I: (+, +). II: (−, +). III: (−, −). IV: (+, −).
Question 4
The point (6, 4) is reflected across the y-axis. Where does it land?
- (6, −4)
- (−6, −4)
- (−6, 4)
- (4, 6)
(−6, 4)
Hint: Across the y-axis, the x-coordinate changes sign.
Question 5
A rectangle has corners (−5, −4), (6, −4), (6, 2) and (−5, 2). What is its area?
- 66 square units
- 63 square units
- 77 square units
- 69 square units
- 34 square units
66 square units
Hint: Width = 6 − (−5) = 11. Height = 2 − (−4) = 6.
Question 6
A rectangle has corners (−7, −4), (5, −4), (5, 2) and (−7, 2). What is its area?
- 4 square units
- 36 square units
- 75 square units
- 84 square units
- 72 square units
72 square units
Hint: Width = 5 − (−7) = 12. Height = 2 − (−4) = 6.