Virginia SOL 6.MG.3.e
The Standard
Relate the coordinates of a point to the distance from each axis and relate the coordinates of a single point to another point on the same horizontal or vertical line. Ordered pairs will be limited to coordinates expressed as integers.
Virginia Standards of Learning for Mathematics · The student will describe the characteristics of the coordinate plane and graph ordered pairs.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use coordinates to find a point's distance from each axis and identify its direction from the origin. They compare aligned points and find the horizontal or vertical distance between them.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student can explain that the absolute value of x gives the distance from the y-axis, while the absolute value of y gives the distance from the x-axis. The student can find the distance between aligned points by subtracting the coordinates that differ and using a positive result.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may match the x-coordinate to the x-axis distance instead of the y-axis distance. They may confuse which coordinate stays equal on horizontal or vertical lines, or report a negative distance.
How to Assess It
- Give students A(-3, 4), B(2, 4), and C(-3, -2). Ask for A's distance from each axis and its distance from B and C.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Tape a coordinate grid on the floor, place students at integer points, and have them count steps to each axis and aligned classmates.
Ask students to explain why points (-4, 3) and (2, 3) lie on one horizontal line and how far apart they are.
Play coordinate match cards, pairing point cards with cards showing axis distances or distances to points on the same horizontal or vertical line.
Use a city map grid to locate buildings, then calculate straight horizontal or vertical distances between locations using their coordinates.
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Related Standards
- 6.MG.3.b
Identify and describe the location (quadrant or the axis) of a point given as an ordered pair. Ordered pairs will be limited to coordinates expressed as integer...
- 6.MG.3.c
Graph ordered pairs in the four quadrants and on the axes of a coordinate plane. Ordered pairs will be limited to coordinates expressed as integers.
- 6.MG.3
The student will describe the characteristics of the coordinate plane and graph ordered pairs.
- 6.MG.3.d
Identify ordered pairs represented by points in the four quadrants and on the axes of the coordinate plane. Ordered pairs will be limited to coordinates express...
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