Cartesian
(adjective)
of or pertaining to co-ordinates based on mutually orthogonal axes
(adjective)
of or pertaining to coordinates based on mutually orthogonal axes
Examples of Cartesian in the following topics:
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Three-Dimensional Coordinate Systems
- Each parameter is perpendicular to the other two, and cannot lie in the same plane. shows a Cartesian coordinate system that uses the parameters $x$, $y$, and $z$.
- Often, you will need to be able to convert from spherical to Cartesian, or the other way around.
- This is a three dimensional space represented by a Cartesian coordinate system.
- The cylindrical coordinate system is like a mix between the spherical and Cartesian system, incorporating linear and radial parameters.
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Polar Coordinates
- This is called the Cartesian coordinate system.
- The $xy$ or Cartesian coordinate system is not always the easiest system to use for every problem.
- Polar coordinates in $r$ and $\theta$ can be converted to Cartesian coordinates $x$ and $y$.
- The $x$ Cartesian coordinate is given by $r \cos \theta$ and the $y$ Cartesian coordinate is given by $r \sin \theta$.
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Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates
- While Cartesian coordinates have many applications, cylindrical and spherical coordinates are useful when describing objects or phenomena with specific symmetries.
- For the conversion between cylindrical and Cartesian coordinate co-ordinates, it is convenient to assume that the reference plane of the former is the Cartesian $xy$-plane (with equation $z = 0$), and the cylindrical axis is the Cartesian $z$-axis.
- Then the $z$ coordinate is the same in both systems, and the correspondence between cylindrical $(\rho,\varphi)$ and Cartesian $(x,y)$ are the same as for polar coordinates, namely $x = \rho \cos \varphi; \, y = \rho \sin \varphi$.
- The spherical coordinates (radius $r$, inclination $\theta$, azimuth $\varphi$) of a point can be obtained from its Cartesian coordinates ($x$, $y$, $z$) by the formulae:
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Vectors in Three Dimensions
- In the Cartesian coordinate system, a vector can be represented by identifying the coordinates of its initial and terminal point.
- Typically in Cartesian coordinates, one considers primarily bound vectors.
- A vector in the 3D Cartesian space, showing the position of a point $A$ represented by a black arrow.
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Inverse Trigonometric Functions: Differentiation and Integration
- The usual principal values of the $\text{arctan}(x)$ and $\text{arccot}(x)$ functions graphed on the Cartesian plane.
- Principal values of the $\text{arcsec}(x)$ and $\text{arccsc}(x)$ functions graphed on the Cartesian plane.
- The usual principal values of the $\arcsin(x)$ and $\arccos(x)$ functions graphed on the Cartesian plane.
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Double Integrals in Polar Coordinates
- In $R^2$, if the domain has a cylindrical symmetry and the function has several particular characteristics, you can apply the transformation to polar coordinates, which means that the generic points $P(x, y)$ in Cartesian coordinates switch to their respective points in polar coordinates.
- The polar coordinates $r$ and $\varphi$ can be converted to the Cartesian coordinates $x$ and $y$ by using the trigonometric functions sine and cosine:
- The Cartesian coordinates $x$ and $y$ can be converted to polar coordinates $r$ and $\varphi$ with $r \geq 0$ and $\varphi$ in the interval $(−\pi, \pi]$:
- This figure illustrates graphically a transformation from cartesian to polar coordinates
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Real Numbers, Functions, and Graphs
- In particular, if $x$ is a real number, "graph" means the graphical representation of this collection, in the form of a line chart, a curve on a Cartesian plane, together with Cartesian axes, etc.
- Graphing on a Cartesian plane is sometimes referred to as curve sketching.
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Surfaces in Space
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Hyperbolic Functions
- Hyperbolic functions occur in the solutions of some important linear differential equations, for example the equation defining a catenary, of some cubic equations, and of Laplace's equation in Cartesian coordinates.
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Conic Sections
- In the Cartesian coordinate system, the graph of a quadratic equation in two variables is always a conic section—though it may be degenerate—and all conic sections arise in this way.