The above diagram is a values table of (x,y) coordinates. Our objective is to plot these points onto the Cartesian Plane.
If you are not familiar with plotting (x,y) points onto an X-Y Grid, then click the link below to learn about this before continuing any further.
Steps for Plotting Graphs from Tables
To plot a graph using a values table we follow these steps:
Step 1) Write the table out as a set of (x,y) coordinates.
Step 2) Rule up an X-Y grid on graph paper.
Step 3) Plot the points onto the grid.
Step 4) If the points form a pattern, then use a ruler to join the points together.
Step 5) Extend the line to fill the grid, and add arrows to both ends.
Example Plotted Graph from Values Table
Here are Steps 1 and 2 completed for the example table shown at the very start of this lesson.
Here is step 3 completed, where we have plotted the five points onto the grid.
The five points are then connected together to make a straight line.
The final step is to extend the ends of the line and add arrows onto them.
Cartesian Plane Practice Grid
Here is a blank Cartesian Plane you can print out or Project onto a Whiteboard to practice plotting points.
Clicking the Image should take you to an 800×494 pixels grid that can be projected or printed.
That’s it for plotting points from X-Y values Tables.
In the next lesson we will look at plotting points to make a line from a “T-Table”.
(A “T-Table is a vertical version of an X-Y values Table).
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