Max Maths, Year 6, Learn together, Plotting coordinates (2)

In a Year 6 maths lesson focused on plotting coordinates, students learn to identify locations on a coordinate grid by understanding the x and y axes. For instance, the hotel is pinpointed by moving to −5 on the x-axis and then 3 units down on the y-axis, resulting in the coordinates (−5, −3). This method of writing the x coordinate followed by the y coordinate is a standard convention in mathematics. Similarly, the campsite is located by going to −5 on the x-axis and then 4 units up the y-axis, giving the coordinates (−5, 4).

The lesson then explores how to determine the location of a point of interest given a pair of coordinates. For example, the coordinates (2, −2) indicate that one should move 2 units to the right along the x-axis and 2 units down on the y-axis to find the post office, confirming its coordinates as (2, −2). Another point of interest, the hotel, is found at (−3, −5), which is reached by moving 3 units to the left on the x-axis and 5 units down on the y-axis. This practical approach to coordinates helps students visualise and plot points accurately on a grid, enhancing their spatial awareness and mathematical skills.