Cartesian plane
Definition
The Cartesian plane, also known as ℝ^2 or the xy-plane, is a two-dimensional coordinate system that uses two perpendicular number lines called axes to locate points. The horizontal axis is called the x-axis and the vertical axis is called the y-axis.
Analogy
Imagine a large piece of graph paper where you can plot points by giving them an x-coordinate (how far left or right) and a y-coordinate (how far up or down). It's like playing Battleship on a grid, but instead of ships, you're plotting points!
Related terms
Coordinates: Pairs of numbers (x,y) that represent a point's position on the Cartesian plane.
Origin: The point (0,0) where the x-axis and y-axis intersect in the Cartesian plane.
Quadrants: The four regions created by dividing the Cartesian plane into four equal parts using the x-axis and y-axis.
"Cartesian plane" appears in:
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.