Position, Scalars, and Vectors: Coordinate Systems

Vocabulary flashcards covering the fundamentals of position, coordinate axes, reference points, and plotting ordered pairs.

Position

The location of an object relative to a chosen reference point called the origin.

Origin

The chosen reference point, represented as $O(0, 0)$, from which an object's position is measured.

Horizontal axis ($x$-axis)

The coordinate axis representing the horizontal direction, with positive ($+$\text{) pointing East and negative (}$-$\text{) pointing West}.

Vertical axis ($y$-axis)

The coordinate axis representing the vertical direction, with positive ($+$\text{) pointing North and negative (}$-$\text{) pointing South}.

Ordered pair

The standard notation, written as $(x, y)$, used to specify the exact location of a point on a coordinate system.

Point $A(3, 2)$

A coordinate location that represents moving $3\text{ units}$ to the right and $2\text{ units}$ up from the origin.

Steps to find and write an ordered pair

Step 1: Start at the origin $O(0, 0)$; Step 2: Move along the $x$-axis (Right $+$, Left $-$); Step 3: Move along the $y$-axis (Up $+$, Down $-$); Step 4: Write as an ordered pair $(x, y)$.