Coordinates in four quadrants: what children learn
Year 6 pupils describe positions on the full coordinate grid, all four quadrants, and draw and translate simple shapes on it.
In this game children read coordinates with negative numbers and move points across the axes. The rules are the same as in the first quadrant: along first, then up. Negative numbers mean left of or below the origin.
This topic covers the Year 6 statutory requirement in the National Curriculum in England (Geometry – position and direction): pupils should be taught to “describe positions on the full coordinate grid (all 4 quadrants)”. Year 6 pupils are usually aged 10–11.
For families following US standards, the closest Common Core standard is 6.NS.C.8, which is taught in Grade 6.
How to play
Answer 10 questions before the clock runs out. Tap an answer, or press 1 to 4. Each game has 10 multiple-choice questions and a 150-second timer. A wrong answer shows the correct one before moving on. You earn up to three stars depending on your score.
Step by step
- Find the origin. The origin is (0, 0), where the axes cross.
- Negative x means left. A point with a negative first number is left of the y-axis.
- Negative y means down. A point with a negative second number is below the x-axis.
- Moving across zero. Moving 5 right from −2 is −2 + 5 = 3. Count on through zero.
Worked examples
Example 1: A point is 4 squares left of the origin and 2 squares up.
Working: Left means negative x.
Answer: (−4, 2)
Example 2: A point starts at (−2, 3). It moves 5 right. Where is it now?
Working: −2 + 5 = 3.
Answer: (3, 3)
Example 3: A point starts at (4, −1). It moves 6 left. Where is it now?
Working: 4 − 6 = −2.
Answer: (−2, −1)
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Losing the negative sign. Say 'negative' aloud every time you read a coordinate.
- Counting across zero wrongly, so −2 + 5 = 7. Use a number line and count on through 0.
- Writing coordinates the wrong way round. Along the corridor, then up or down the stairs.
Activities to try at home
- Play battleships on a grid with four quadrants.
- Draw a map with the house at the origin and name places with negative coordinates.
- Talk about temperatures below zero as a link to negative numbers.
Ideas for the classroom
- Pupils plot a shape in one quadrant and translate it into another.
- Use the hall floor as a big four-quadrant grid.
- Give coordinate clues that cross the axes for a treasure hunt.
Free printable game and worksheet
The free printable starts with a game sheet, such as a colour-by-answer picture, an answer maze or a secret-code joke, followed by a worksheet. Both use the same checked questions as the online game, and the answers are on the last page. Print it, or save it as a PDF from your browser’s print menu.
Open the free printable game and worksheet
Frequently asked questions
Why do children learn negative coordinates?
They extend the grid in every direction and prepare for graphs at secondary school.
Do children reflect shapes on this grid too?
Yes. In Year 6, pupils reflect shapes in the axes.
Can it be played with a keyboard?
Yes. Press 1, 2, 3 or 4 to choose an answer.