Example 1 · level 1 — a gentle start
What are the coordinates of the marked point?
- (3, 3)
- (4, 3)
- (6, 6)
- (-3, -3)
Answer: (3, 3) — Coordinates are (across, up) — the x value always comes first.
11+ coordinates questions
Coordinates comes up in the maths paper of every major 11+ format. Here is what the questions look like, the method that works under time pressure, and five worked examples with the full reasoning, from a gentle start to a hard paper.
Maths · examined by GL and CEM · 5 worked examples
What your child needs to know
- Coordinates are always (across, up). The x value comes first, every time.
- Along the corridor, then up the stairs — that is the order to remember.
Where marks get lost: Reflecting in the x-axis flips the second number's sign; the y-axis flips the first.
Worked examples
Every question below is generated by the same engine your child practises on, and every answer is derived by our checker rather than written by hand — which is why we can put them on a public page at all.
Example 2 · level 2 — typical of early practice
What are the coordinates of the marked point?
- (3, 2)
- (-4, -5)
- (5, 4)
- (4, 5)
Answer: (4, 5) — Coordinates are (across, up) — the x value always comes first.
Example 3 · level 3 — standard paper difficulty
Where is the point after reflecting in the x-axis?
- (6, 8)
- (-8, -4)
- (4, 8)
- (8, -4)
Answer: (8, -4) — Coordinates are (across, up) — the x value always comes first.
Example 4 · level 4 — a harder paper
Where is the point after reflecting in the y-axis?
- (4, -2)
- (2, -4)
- (4, 2)
- (-4, 2)
Answer: (4, 2) — Coordinates are (across, up) — the x value always comes first.
Example 5 · level 5 — the level that separates candidates
Where is the point after moving 3 across and -4 up?
- (4, -5)
- (-1, 1)
- (1, -1)
- (-3, 2)
Answer: (4, -5) — Coordinates are (across, up) — the x value always comes first.
How to practise this at home
- Work in short, frequent sessions. Ten minutes daily beats an hour at the weekend, because the recall gap is what builds memory.
- Insist on written working, even for questions your child can do in their head — under exam pressure the method is what survives.
- When an answer is wrong, ask them to explain their reasoning before you correct it. The error is almost always in one step, not the whole approach.
Practise coordinates with a tutor that explains
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