Final answer:
The coordinates to record the artifact located 4 units south and 3 units west of the origin would be (-3, -4).
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question involves locating a point based on given directions on a coordinate grid. Since the x-axis represents east-west, moving west is represented by negative x-values. Similarly, because the y-axis represents north-south, moving south is indicated by negative y-values.
The answer to the student's question, regarding an artifact located 4 units south and 3 units west of the center (origin), would have the coordinates (-3, -4). This is because moving 3 units west signifies a point of 3 units on the negative side of the x-axis, and moving 4 units south means the point is 4 units on the negative side of the y-axis.