MATHEMATICS

Chapter 3: Coordinate Geometry

 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

Coordinate Geometry
1. Two perpendicular number lines intersecting at point zero are called coordinate axes.
The horizontal number line is the x-axis (denoted by X’OX) and the vertical one is the
y-axis (denoted by Y’OY). The point of intersection of x-axis and y-axis is called origin
and denoted by ‘O’.
2. Cartesian plane is a plane obtained by putting the coordinate axes perpendicular to
each other in the plane. It is also called coordinate plane or xy plane.
3. The x-coordinate of a point is its perpendicular distance from y-axis.
4. The y-coordinate of a point is its perpendicular distance from x-axis.
5. The point where the x axis and the y axis intersect is represented by coordinate points
(0, 0) and is called the origin.
6. The abscissa of a point is the x-coordinate of the point. The ordinate of a point is the
y-coordinate of the point.
7. If the abscissa of a point is x and the ordinate of the point is y, then (x, y) are called the
coordinates of the point.
8. The axes divide the Cartesian plane into four parts called the quadrants (one fourth
part), numbered I, II, III and IV anticlockwise from OX.
9. Sign of coordinates depicts the quadrant in which it lies. The coordinates of a point are
of the form (+, +) in the first quadrant, (-, +) in the second quadrant, (-, -) in the third
quadrant and (+, -) in the fourth quadrant.

(1)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

10. The coordinates of a point on the x-axis are of the form (x, 0) and that of the point on
y-axis are (0, y).
11. To plot a point P (3, 4) in the Cartesian plane, start from origin and count 3 units on
the positive x axis then move 4 units towards positive y axis. The point at which we will
arrive will be the point P (3, 4).

12. If x ≠ y, then (x, y) ≠ (y, x) and if (x, y) = (y, x), then x = y.

Cartesian System
Cartesian plane & Coordinate Axes
Cartesian Plane: A cartesian plane is defined by two perpendicular number lines, A
horizontal line(x−axis) and a vertical line (y−axis).
These lines are called coordinate axes. The Cartesian plane extends infinitely in all
directions.
Origin: The coordinate axes intersect each other at right angles, The point of intersection of
these two axes is called Origin.
Co-ordinate system is used to locate the position of a point in a plane using two
perpendicular lines. Points are represented in the form of coordinates (x, y) in two-
dimension with respect to x- and y- axes. In this article, we will learn about Cartesian
Coordinate system.
To understand the need of coordinate system, let us consider an example, suppose Rina is a
girl in your class and she sits on the 3rd column and 5th row. Then, this position can be
represented as (3, 5).
Two axes – vertical axis and perpendicular axis are reference lines of a rectangular system
from which distances are measured. They are obtained as follows:

(2)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

Important Terms:
Quadrants:
Moreover, the axes divide the plane into four parts and these four parts are called
quadrants (one-fourth part). Thus, we have four quadrants numbered I, II, III and IV
anticlockwise from OX.
Points in different Quadrants.
Signs of coordinates of points in different quadrants:
I Quadrant: ‘+’ x – coordinate and ‘+’ y – coordinate. E.g. (2, 3)
II Quadrant: ‘-’ x – coordinate and ‘+’ y – coordinate. E.g. (-1, 4)
III Quadrant: ‘-’ x – coordinate and ‘-’ y – coordinate. E.g. (-3, -5)
IV Quadrant: ‘+’ x – coordinate and ‘-’ y – coordinate. E.g. (6, -1)
Cartesian Plane:
A plane consists of axes and quadrants. Thus, we call the plane the Cartesian Plane, or the
Coordinate Plane, or the x-y plane. The axes are called the coordinate axes.
Cartesian coordinate system for one dimensional:
The Cartesian coordinate system for one dimensional space consists of a line. We choose a
point O, origin on the line, a unit of length and orientation for the line. The orientation
chooses which of the two half lines determined by O is the positive, and which is negative.
Each point P of the line can be specified by its distance from O, taken with a negative or
positive sign.
Number line:
A line with a chosen Cartesian system is called a number line. Every real number has a

(3)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

unique location on the line. Every point on the number line can be interpreted as a number.
Important Note:
The above depicts a two-dimensional system. In case of a three-dimensional system, we
have three mutually perpendicular axes, namely x, y and z. It can be generalized to create n
coordinates for any point in n-dimensional Euclidean space.
Abscissa and Ordinate
The x-coordinate of a point is its perpendicular distance from the y-axis measured along the
x-axis and it is known as Abscissa.
The y-coordinate of a point is its perpendicular distance from the x-axis measured along the
y-axis and it is known as Ordinate.
In writing the coordinates of a point in the coordinate plane, the x-coordinate comes first
and then the y-coordinate. We place the coordinates in brackets as (x, y). The coordinates
describe a point in the plane uniquely. It implies (3,1) ≠ (1,3) or in general (x, y) ≠ (y, x).

(4)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

(5)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

Important Questions
Multiple Choice Questions-s
Question 1. If the coordinates of a point are (0, -4), then it lies in:
a) X-axis
b) Y-axis
c) At origin
d) Between x-axis and y-axis
Question 2. If the coordinates of a point are (3, 0), then it lies in:
a) X-axis
b) Y-axis
c) At origin
d) Between x-axis and y-axis
Question 3. If the coordinates of a point are (-3,4), then it lies in:
a) First quadrant
b) Second quadrant
c) Third quadrant
d) Fourth quadrant
Question 4. If the coordinates of a point are (-3, -4), then it lies in:
a) First quadrant
b) Second quadrant
c) Third quadrant
d) Fourth quadrant
Question 5. The name of horizontal line in the cartesian plane which
determines the position of a point is called:
a) Origin
b) X-axis
c) Y-axis
d) Quadrants
Question 6. The name of vertical line in the cartesian plane which determines
the position of a point is called:
a) Origin
b) X-axis

(6)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

c) Y-axis
d) Quadrants
Question 7. The section formed by horizontal and vertical lines determining
the position of point in a cartesian plane is called:
a) Origin
b) X-axis
c) Y-axis
d) Quadrants
Question 8. The point of intersection of horizontal and vertical lines
determining the position of point in a cartesian plane is called:
a) Origin
b) X-axis
c) Y-axis
d) Quadrants
Question 9. Points (1,2), (-2,-3), (2,-3);
a) First quadrant
b) Do not lie in the same quadrant
c) Third quadrant
d) Fourth quadrant
Question 10. If x coordinate of a point is zero, then the point lies on:
a) First quadrant
b) Second quadrant
c) X-axis
d) Y-axis
Very Short:
1. Write the signs convention of the coordinates of a point in the second
quadrant.
2. Write the value of ordinate of all the points lie on x-axis.
3. Write the value of abscissa of all the points lie on y-axis.
4. If in coordinates of a point B(3, -2), signs of both coordinates are
interchanged, then it will lie in which quadrant?
Short Questions:
1. Write the coordinates of A, B, C and D from the figure given alongside.

(7)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

2. A point lies on x-axis at a distance of 9 units from y-axis. What are its
coordinates? What will be the coordinates of a point, if it lies on y-axis
at a distance of -9 units from x-axis?
3. Without plotting the points indicate the quadrant in which they lie, if :
(i) ordinate is 5 and abscissa is – 3
(ii) abscissa is -5 and ordinate is – 3
(iii) abscissa is – 5 and ordinate is 3
(iv) ordinate is 5 and abscissa is 3
Assertion and Reason Questions-
1. In these questions, a statement of assertion followed by a statement of
reason is given. Choose the correct answer out of the following choices.
a) Assertion and reason both are correct statements and reason is correct
explanation for assertion.
b) Assertion and reason both are correct statements but reason is not
correct explanation for assertion.
c) Assertion is correct statement but reason is wrong statement.
d) Assertion is wrong statement but reason is correct statement.
Assertion: The points (- 3,5) and (5, - 3)are at different positions in the
coordinate plane.
Reason: If x ≠ y , then (x, y) ≠ (y,x)
2. In these questions, a statement of assertion followed by a statement of
reason is given. Choose the correct answer out of the following choices.
a) Assertion and reason both are correct statements and reason is correct
explanation for assertion.
b) Assertion and reason both are correct statements but reason is not correct
explanation for assertion.
c) Assertion is correct statement but reason is wrong statement.
d) Assertion is wrong statement but reason is correct statement.
Assertion: The point ( - 5 , 0) lies on y – axis and (0, - 4) on x -axis.

(8)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

Reason: Every point on the x -axis has zero distance from x -axis and every point
on the y - axis has zero distance from y -axis.
Case Study Questions-
1. Read the Source/ Text given below and answer these questions:

There is a square park ABCD in the middle of Saket colony in Delhi. Four
children Deepak, Ashok, Arjun and Deepa went to play with their balls. The
colour of the ball of Ashok, Deepak, Arjun and Deepa are red, blue, yellow and
green respectively. All four children roll their ball from centre point O in the
direction of XOY, X'OY, X'OY' and XOY'. Their balls stopped as shown in the
above image.
Answer the following questions:
i. What are the coordinates of the ball of Ashok?
a. (4, 3)
b. (3, 4)
c. (4, 4)
d. (3, 3)
ii. What are the coordinates of the ball of Deepa?
a. (2, -3)
b. (3, 2)
c. (2, 3)
d. (2, 2)
iii. What the line XOX' is called?

(9)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

a. y-axis.
b. ordinate.
c. x-axis.
d. origin.
iv. What the point O(0, 0) is called?
a. y-axis.
b. ordinate.
c. x-axis.
d. origin.
v. What is the ordinate of the ball of Arjun?
a. -3
b. 3
c. 4
d. 2
2. Read the Source/ Text given below and answer any four questions:

Rohit was putting up one of his paintings in his living room. Before this Rohit had put
a grid on the wall where each unit measured equal to a foot. The upper-left corner of
the frame is at point C(1, 8) and the upper-right corner at D(7, 8). The bottom-left
corner is at A(1, 2) and the bottom-right corner at B(7, 2).
Please answer the following questions:
i. What is the width of the painting plus frame?
a. 5 feet
b. 8 feet
c. 9 feet

(10)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

d. 6 feet
ii. What is the length of the painting plus frame?
a. 9 feet
b. 8 feet
c. 6 feet
d. 5 feet
iii. Which sides of the painting are parallel to x-axis?
a. AB and CD
b. AC and BD
c. Diagonals AD and BC
d. No one
iv. Which sides of the painting are parallel to y-axis?
a. AB and CD
b. AC and BD
c. Diagonals AC and BD
d. No one
v. Point A, B, C and D lie in which quadrant?
a. I
b. II
c. III
d. IV

Answer Key:
MCQ:
1. (b) Y-axis
2. (a) Y-axis
3. (b) Second quadrant
4. (c) Third quadrant
5. (b) X-axis
6. (c) Y-axis
7. (d) Quadrants
8. (a) Origin
9. (b) Do not lie in the same quadrant

(11)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

10. (d) Y-axis

Very Short Answer:

1. (-ve, +ve)
2. 0
3. 0
4. When signs of both coordinates of B(3, -2) are interchanged, then coordinates of
new point are B'(-3, 2) and it will lie in second quadrant.

Short Answer:
Ans: 1. Coordinates of the point A are (5, 0)
Coordinates of the point B are (5, 3)
Coordinates of the point C are (-2, 4)
Coordinates of the point D are (0, -2)

Ans: 2. As shown in graph, the coordinates of a point which lies on x-axis at a

distance of 9 units from y-axis are (9, 0) and the coordinates of a point which lies at a
distance of -9 units from x-axis are
(0, -9).

Ans: 3. (i) Clearly, point (-3, 5) lies in 2nd quadrant.

(ii) Clearly, point (-5, – 3) lies in 3rd quadrant.
(ii) Clearly, point (-5, 3) lies in 2nd quadrant.
(iv) Clearly, point (3, 5) lies in 1st quadrant.

(12)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

Assertion and Reason Answers-

1. a) Assertion and reason both are correct statements and reason is correct
explanation for assertion.
Explanation:
Assertion (A) :
The points(-3,5) and (5,-3) are at different positions in the coordinate plane.
For the point (-3,5)
Abscissa = - 3 & ordinate = 5
The point lies is 2nd quadrant
For the point (5,-3)
Abscissa = 5 & ordinate = - 3
The point lies is 4th quadrant
Since 5 ≠ - 3
So the points(-3,5) and (5,-3) are at different positions in the coordinate plane.
So Assertion (A) is correct
Reason(R) :
If x is not equal to y then the position of (x,y) in the cartesian plane is different
from the position of (y,x)
We know that two point (a, b) & (c, d) are the same point iff a = c , b = d
So if x is not equal to y then the position of (x,y) in the cartesian plane is
different from the position of (y,x)
Therefore Reason(R) is correct
Also reason (R) is the correct explanation of assertion
Hence the correct option is:
(a) Assertion and reason both are correct statements and reason is correct
explanation for assertion.
2. d) Assertion is wrong statement but reason is correct statement.
Explanation: (-5,0) lies on x-axis because the first part of co-ordinate shows X-
axis and second part show y-axis and also the point (0,-4) lies on y axis not x axis
Hence the assertion is false but the reason is 100% true statement.
Case Study Answers-
1.
(i) (b) (3, 4)

(13)
 4
COORDINATE GEOMETRY
03

(ii) (a) (2, -3)

(iii) (c) x-axis.
(iv) (d) origin.
(v) (a) -3

2.
i d 6 feet
ii c 6 feet
iii a AB and CD
iv b AC and BD
v a I

(14)