In the ordered pair (4,3), what does the number 4 represent?

In the ordered pair (4, 3), the number 4 represents the x-coordinate. An ordered pair is defined within a two-dimensional coordinate system, which consists of horizontal and vertical axes. The first number in an ordered pair indicates the position along the horizontal axis, often referred to as the x-axis. Therefore, in this case, 4 indicates how far to move along the x-axis from the origin (0, 0). The second number, which is 3 in this case, signifies the position along the vertical axis, or y-axis.

Understanding the role of the first number as the x-coordinate is essential, as it provides the basis for accurately locating a point in a coordinate system. The origin represents the point where both axes intersect, and quadrants refer to the four sections formed by the axes but are not directly relevant in identifying what the number 4 specifically represents in this context.