quadrant

The x-axis and the y-axis divide a plane into four regions. These regions are called quadrants.

This is how they are recognised:

• The first quadrant is the top right corner. It is usually labelled I.

• The second quadrant is the top left corner. It is usually labelled II.

• The third quadrant is the bottom left corner. It is usually labelled III.

• The fourth quadrant is the bottom right corner. It is usually labelled IV.

Let’s look at the example in the picture.

The coordinate (4, 9) is in the first quadrant; the coordinate (5, –2) is in the fourth quadrant; the coordinate (–5, 0) is on the boundary between the second and third quadrants.

The point where all four quadrants meet is called the origin.