### What Are You Plotting?

Investigate the positions of points which have particular x and y coordinates. What do you notice?

# Dotty Relationship

## Dotty Relationship

On the grid below, join the two blue dots, A and B, together with a straight line.

Now join the green dots, C and D, with a straight line.

At what angle do the two lines cross?

Investigate the number of squares "along" and "down" from A to B compared with the number of squares "along" and "up" from C to D. What do you notice?

Using what you have found out, can you draw lines that are perpendicular (at $90^{\circ}$) to the lines drawn below?

Is there only one solution each time?

Do the two lines have to be the same length? Why or why not?

### Why do this problem?

This problem could be linked to coordinates. It could also form an introduction to vectors at a higher level. It is a powerful geometrical investigation. It has the potential to quickly lead to generalisations that pupils can apply in the second part of the question.

### Possible approach

The notion of "how long is a line?" would form an excellent discussion point in the plenary.