Cartesian coordinate system
[ kär-tē′zhən ]
A system in which the location of a point is given by coordinates that represent its distances from perpendicular lines that intersect at a point called the origin. A Cartesian coordinate system in a plane has two perpendicular lines (the x-axis and y-axis); in three-dimensional space, it has three (the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis). Compare polar coordinate system.
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Words nearby Cartesian coordinate system
Carteret, Carter, James Earl, Cartesian, Cartesian coordinate, Cartesian coordinates, Cartesian coordinate system, Cartesian diver, Cartesian doubt, Cartesian product, Cartesian space, cartful
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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