Cartesian coordinates

Cartesian coordinates
—pl n
	a system of representing points in space in terms of their distance from a given origin measured along a set of mutually perpendicular axes. Written (x,y,z) with reference to three axes

Cartesian coordinates definition

mathematics, graphics
(After Renee Descartes, French philosopher and mathematician) A pair of numbers, (x, y), defining the position of a point in a two-dimensional space by its perpendicular projection onto two axes which are at right angles to each other. x and y are also known as the abscissa and ordinate.
The idea can be generalised to any number of independent axes.
Compare polar coordinates.
(1997-07-08)