Cartesian Form

By Author: Pierce Brosnan
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Introduction to Cartesian Coordinate system

A Cartesian coordinate system specifies each point uniquely in a plane by a pair of numerical coordinates, which are the signed distances from the point to two fixed perpendicular directed lines, measured in the same unit of length.Each reference line is called a coordinate axis or just axis of the system, and the point where they meet is its origin. The coordinates can also be defined as the positions of the perpendicular projections of the point onto the two axes, expressed as a signed distances from the origin.

Cartesian space

A Euclidean plane with a chosen Cartesian system is called a Cartesian plane. Since Cartesian coordinates are unique and non-ambiguous, the points of a Cartesian plane can be identified with all possible pairs of real numbers; that is with the Cartesian product , where is the set of all reals. In the same way one defines a Cartesian space of any dimension n, whose points can be identified with the tuples (lists) of n real numbers, that is, with .

Number line

Choosing a Cartesian coordinate system for ...
... a one-dimensional space—that is, for a straight line—means choosing a point O of the line (the origin), a unit of length, and an orientation for the line. The latter means choosing which of the two half-lines determined by O is the positive, and which is negative; we then say that the line is oriented (or points) from the negative half towards the positive half. Then each point p of the line can be specified by its distance from O, taken with a + or - sign depending on which half-line contains p.
A line with a chosen Cartesian system is called a number line. Every real number, whether integer, rational, or irrational, has a unique location on the line. Conversely, every point on the line can be interpreted as a number in an ordered continuum which includes the real numbers.

Cartesian coordinates in two dimensions

Choosing a Cartesian coordinate system for a plane means choosing an ordered pair of lines (axes) perpendicular to each other, a single unit of length for both axes, and an orientation for each axis. The point where the axes meet is taken as the origin for both axes, thus turning each axis into a number line. Each coordinate of a point p is obtained by drawing a line through p perpendicular to the associated axis, finding the point q where that line meets the axis, and interpreting q as a number of that number line.

Cartesian coordinates in three dimensions

Choosing a Cartesian coordinate system for a three-dimensional space means choosing an ordered triplet of lines (axes), any two of them being perpendicular; a single unit of length for all three axes; and an orientation for each axis. As in the two-dimensional case, each axis becomes a number line. The coordinates of a point p are obtained by drawing a line through p perpendicular to each coordinate axis, and reading the points where these lines meet the axes as three numbers of these number lines.
Alternatively, the coordinates of a point p can also be taken as the (signed) distances from p to the three planes defined by the three axes. If the axes are named x, y, and z, then the x coordinate is the distance from the plane defined by the y and z axes. The distance is to be taken with the + or - sign, depending on which of the two half-spaces separated by that plane contains p. The y and z coordinates can be obtained in the same way from the (x,z) and (x,y) planes, respectively.

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