What does the number 3 represent in the ordered pair (4,3)?

In the ordered pair (4, 3), the number 3 represents the y-coordinate. In the context of a Cartesian coordinate system, ordered pairs are written in the format (x, y), where the first number corresponds to the x-coordinate and the second number corresponds to the y-coordinate. The value of the y-coordinate indicates the vertical position on the graph, meaning that the point (4, 3) is located 3 units up from the origin along the vertical axis.

The other options refer to different concepts in a coordinate system: the x-coordinate is represented by the first number (4), the origin refers to the point (0, 0) where the x and y axes intersect, and quadrants are the four sections of the plane defined by the axes. Thus, the correct identification of the number 3 as the y-coordinate is essential for understanding the layout of points in the coordinate plane.