Unit Circle Lab
Unit circle Blank unit circle

Blank Coordinate Plane

Print a blank coordinate plane with the grid you need: 10 × 10 up to 24 × 24, all four quadrants or only Quadrant I, with or without numbers, and 1, 2 or 4 grids per page, on Letter or A4.

Blank Coordinate Plane20 × 20 grid · four quadrants · numbered axes · 1 per pagexy−10−10−8−8−6−6−4−4−2−22244668810100Blank Coordinate Plane · unitcirclelab.com/blank-coordinate-plane/Free for personal and classroom use

Grid

Size
Quadrants
Per page
Paper

How it works

Set the grid, check the page, print.

  1. 01 · grid

    Set up the grid

    Pick the size, the quadrants and whether the axes are numbered.

  2. 02 · layout

    Choose the layout

    One large grid per page for graphing, or 2 or 4 smaller ones for practice sets.

  3. 03 · print

    Print or download

    The preview is the exact page. Print sends only the grid; Download PDF saves it.

§1What a coordinate plane is

A coordinate plane is formed by two number lines that cross at right angles: the horizontal x-axis and the vertical y-axis. They meet at the origin, (0, 0). Every point is named by an ordered pair (x, y): how far to move left or right, then how far up or down.

The axes split the plane into four quadrants, numbered counterclockwise starting at the upper right: Quadrant I has x > 0 and y > 0, Quadrant II has x < 0 and y > 0, Quadrant III has both negative, and Quadrant IV has x > 0 and y < 0. Points on an axis belong to no quadrant. The unit circle uses the same numbering for angles.

§2Which grid to choose

  • 10 × 10, four quadrants: plotting points and simple lines from −5 to 5. Large squares, easy for younger students.
  • 20 × 20, four quadrants: the most common graph paper for algebra: lines, parabolas, absolute value graphs and transformations from −10 to 10.
  • Quadrant I only: data, word problems and anything where the values are never negative, such as time and distance.
  • 2 or 4 per page: practice sets and quizzes with one graph per problem. Numbers are thinned out automatically on large grids so they stay readable.

§3Plotting points

Start at the origin. Move along the x-axis by the first number, then parallel to the y-axis by the second.

(3, −2). 3 to the right, 2 down → Quadrant IV

(−4, 1). 4 to the left, 1 up → Quadrant II

The order matters: (3, −2) and (−2, 3) are different points. A common way to remember it is that you walk along the hall (x) before you take the stairs (y).

§4Ways to use the grids

  • Graph linear equations from a table of values or from slope and intercept.
  • Practice reflections, translations and rotations of shapes.
  • Find distances and midpoints, then check them with the distance formula √((x₂ − x₁)² + (y₂ − y₁)²).
  • Sketch a unit circle to scale: on a 20 × 20 grid, let 8 squares be 1 unit. Then √3/2 ≈ 0.866 is about 6.9 squares and √2/2 ≈ 0.707 is about 5.7 squares from the axis.
  • Plot the terminal side of an angle and read its quadrant, as on the reference angle calculator.

§5Printing tips

  • Print at 100% (“Actual size”) so the squares stay square. On Letter paper a full-page 20 × 20 grid has squares of about 0.35 inch (9 mm).
  • Letter is the default in the US; A4 elsewhere. The choice is remembered on this device.
  • The printout contains only the grid page, with no menus or ads, and the PDF is the same page.

§6FAQ

Is the graph paper free to use in class?

Yes. You can print and copy it for your students. Reselling it is not allowed; see the terms of use.

Why are some numbers missing on big grids?

On grids larger than 12 × 12 the axes are labeled every 2 or 4 units so the numbers don’t overlap. Every grid line is still drawn, and every fifth line is darker.

Can I print a grid without numbers?

Yes. Uncheck “Numbers on the axes” for a clean grid, useful for tests where students label their own scale.

Where is the unit circle printable?

On the blank unit circle page, with blank, partial and filled-in versions.