LEVEL 5 WORD PROBLEMS

Concept: Compass directions can be translated into grid directions. The positive Y axis points north. The negative Y axis points south. The positive X axis points east. The negative X axis points west.

Step 1 | Find the starting point on the coordinate grid from the ordered pair given in the Word Problem.
Step 2 | Move the starting point North (positive Y axis), South (negative Y axis), East (positive X axis), or West (negative X axis), according to the directions given in the Word Problem, until the final destination is reached.

Example 1: Linda is incommodious in the city of Stucco and her GPS only tells her that she is at a grid coordinate of (3, 3). So she walks 3 blocks north, 4 blocks south, 1 blocks west and 3 blocks east. What would her GPS show as her current location on a grid coordinate?

Step 1 | Find the starting point on the coordinate grid from the ordered pair given in the Word Problem.
1A | (3, 3)
Step 2 | Move the starting point North (positive Y axis), South (negative Y axis), East (positive X axis), or West (negative X axis), according to the directions given in the Word Problem, until the final destination is reached.
2A | Move the point 3 blocks North (three numbers up the Y axis) from the starting point of (3, 3) to (3, 6).
2B | Move the point 4 blocks South (four numbers down the Y axis) from (3, 6) to (3, 2).
2C | Move the point 1 block West (one number left on the X axis) from (3, 2) to (2, 2).
2D | Move the point 3 blocks East (three numbers right on the X axis) from (2, 2) to (5, 2). This is the final destination.
Linda’s GPS will show her current location as (5, 2) on a coordinate grid.

Example 2: Batman is bewildered in the city of Metropolis and his GPS only tells us that he is at a grid coordinate of (4,1). So he staggers 5 clicks south, 4 clicks east, 3 clicks south, 5 clicks west and 5 clicks north. What would his GPS show as his current location on a grid coordinate?

Step 1 | Find the starting point on the coordinate grid from the ordered pair given in the Word Problem.
1A | (4, 1)
Step 2 | Move the starting point North (positive Y axis), South (negative Y axis), East (positive X axis), or West (negative X axis), according to the directions given in the Word Problem, until the final destination is reached.
2A | Move the point 5 clicks South (five numbers down the Y axis) from the starting point of (4, 1) to (4, -4).
2B | Move the point 4 clicks East (four numbers right on the X axis) from (4, -4) to (8, -4).
2C | Move the point 3 clicks South (three numbers down on the Y axis) from (4, -4) to (8, -7).
2D | Move the point 5 clicks West (five numbers left on the X axis) from (8, -7) to (3, -7).
2E | Move the point 5 clicks North (five numbers up on the Y axis) from (3, -7) to (3, -2).
Batman’s GPS will show his current location as (3, -2) on a coordinate grid.