Answer – The y- and x-axis are perpendicular lines that form the coordinate plane. The x-axis is the horizontal line, while the y-axis is the vertical one.
Explanation:
The coordinate plane is used extensively in Algebra to visualize a point or line on a graph. It was introduced several centuries ago by French mathematician René Descartes and is therefore also called the Cartesian plane.
This plane is two-dimensional and is formed by the intersection of two perpendicular lines. The x-axis is the horizontal line, and it cuts the vertical y-axis at the origin O.
Both axes are extended infinitely on either side, leading to positive and negative axes. The horizontal line to the right of the origin is the positive x-axis, while the one to the left of the origin is the negative x-axis. Similarly, the vertical line extending above the origin is the positive y-axis, while the one extending below is the negative y-axis. The intersection of the axes also forms the 4 equal quadrants of the coordinate plane:
Top right – Quadrant 1
Top left – Quadrant 2
Bottom left – Quadrant 3
Bottom right – Quadrant 4
Any point on the plane is represented by two values called coordinates indicating its exact position. The distance of the point along the x-axis is called the x-coordinate, or abscissa, while its distance from the y-axis is called the y-coordinate, or simply ordinate. The format to represent the point is thus given by (x-coordinate, y-coordinate).
