Explanation:
The distance of a point from the x-axis is called the ordinate. To understand this concept, let's first define the x-axis and a point on a coordinate plane.

X-Axis: The x-axis is a horizontal line on a coordinate plane. It is one of the two axes used to represent points in a two-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. It is usually drawn as a horizontal line labeled with the values of x.

Point: A point is a specific location in space. In a two-dimensional coordinate system, a point is represented by two numbers - an x-coordinate and a y-coordinate.

Ordinate: The ordinate of a point refers to its distance from the x-axis. It is the vertical distance between the point and the x-axis. The ordinate is also known as the y-coordinate.

When we plot a point on a coordinate plane, we move horizontally along the x-axis to the x-coordinate value and then vertically to the y-coordinate value. The y-coordinate represents the distance of the point from the x-axis, which is why it is called the ordinate.

Example:
Let's say we have a point P with coordinates (3, 5). To find the ordinate of this point, we look at the y-coordinate, which is 5. This means that the point P is 5 units above the x-axis.

Summary:
The distance of a point from the x-axis is called the ordinate. It represents the vertical distance of a point on a coordinate plane. The ordinate is also known as the y-coordinate.