In an ordered pair, the x-coordinate comes first and the y-coordinate comes second.
Practice makes perfect
In an ( x, y) ordered pair, the first number tells us the x-coordinate of the point and the second number tells us the y-coordinate of the point. We want to graph J( 2 12, -2 12), so we first find 2 12 on the x-axis and remember the corresponding vertical line. The x-coordinate 2 12 tells us to move 2 12 units to the right of the origin — the positive horizontal direction.
Next, we find -2 12 on the y-axis and follow the corresponding horizontal line until it collides with the grid line from our x-coordinate. The y-coordinate -2 12 tells us to move 2 12 units down from the origin — the negative vertical direction.
The point J( 2 12, -2 12) lies on the point at which these two grid lines intersect.
