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Glite Dictionary
Cartesian plane

Cartesian plane

6.7
A flat area with two crossing lines used to show points by x and y numbers
  • noun
  • /kɑrˈteɪʒən pleɪn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : plano cartesiano
  • In mathematics, we use the Cartesian plane to plot points defined by their x and y coordinates.

Examples

  • So think of that as the whole Cartesian plane as opposed to a point in the plane which is what the location is.

  • OK, so at this point you could get this vectors, put it to a nice Cartesian plane, place them there and do your favourite, favourite algorithm.

  • Space x, y, z on the Cartesian plane was mastered.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • Each point on the Cartesian plane can be identified using a unique pair of coordinates.

  • To graph the equation, draw it on the Cartesian plane with the x-axis and y-axis intersecting at the origin.

How Dimensional

Cartesian coordinate system
  • Specialized
1 5.2
Cartesian plane
  • Specialized
6.7

Surface Forms

Cartesian plane singular
Cartesian planes plural

Morphology

Cartesian + plane

The noun 'plane' is transparent (a flat surface), but 'Cartesian' is a proper adjective referencing Descartes and his coordinate system; if a learner knows that connection they can infer this is the coordinate plane. However, the specific technical sense (two perpendicular axes and ordered coordinate pairs) requires mathematical background rather than simple composition of word meanings, so full understanding is not guaranteed for an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Cartesian plane is named after the French thinker René Descartes and shows his idea of two number lines that meet like a plus sign. Think of the two lines, the x and y axes, crossing so a point is found by one number on each line, so Cartesian plane means 'a flat space where each point has two numbers'.