How do you know which is X and which is Y?

If you are talking about determining ordered pairs to be graphed, the variable that is under your control is the x variable. It is called the independent variable. The variable that results from the independent variable is the y variable.

Does X or Y go up or down?

It’s called a graph. The horizontal line (from side to side) is the x-axis. The vertical line (going up and down) is the y-axis. The point where the two lines meet at 0 is called the origin.

When naming a graph is it X vs Y?

The proper form for a graph title is “y-axis variable vs. x-axis variable.” For example, if you were comparing the the amount of fertilizer to how much a plant grew, the amount of fertilizer would be the independent, or x-axis variable and the growth would be the dependent, or y-axis variable.

Do you mark X or Y first?

Remember the x (horizontal) is the first number in the brackets and the y (vertical) is the second number. Now plot the rest of the coordinates. Remember that when you plot negative x coordinates they will be to the left of y axis… and when you plot negative y coordinates they will be below the x axis.