You are on page 1of 13

The Cartesian Coordinate System

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

DEVELOPMENT OF ANALYTIC GEOMETRY occurred in the early 1600s through the merging of algebra and geometry. Credit for this accomplishment goes to the French mathematician Rene Descartes (1596 1650) The same method was also independently discovered by Pierre de Fermat (1601 1665) Descartess unifying concept became not only the basis for analytic geometry but had been most fruitful in the development of calculus.

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

ANALYTIC GEOMETRY
Definition

The branch of mathematics which deals with the properties, behaviours and solutions of points, lines, curves, angles, surfaces and solids by means of algebraic methods in relation to a coordinate system.

Two Parts

1. Plane Analytic Geometry 2. Solid Analytic Geometry

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

THE CARTESIAN COORDINATE SYSTEM Descartes associated every point in the plane with a pair of real numbers resulting in the xy coordinate system which is also referred as the Cartesian Coordinate System. The xy coordinate system is based on two perpendicular number lines.

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

THE CARTESIAN COORDINATE SYSTEM Any point on a number line is associated with a single real number called coordinate. The origin of a number line is its zero point. The two real number lines intersect at their zero points. The number lines are called the coordinate axes.

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

THE CARTESIAN COORDINATE SYSTEM The horizontal axis is called the x axis and the vertical axis is called the y axis. The point where the axes intersect is called the origin. The coordinate axes divide the whole plane into four regions called quadrants that are labeled from the upper right corner , counterclockwise.

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

THE CARTESIAN COORDINATE SYSTEM Every point in the cartesian coordinate system is associated with a pair of real numbers (a,b).
The number a is called the x coordinate of P also called as abscissa. It is the distance from the y axis to the point P The number b is the y coordinate of P also called as ordinate. It is the distance from the x axis to the point P.

The pair of real numbers (a,b) is called the coordinate ordered pair of point P.
7 WWPoli MNHS, Math Dept.

Points in the Four Quadrants The signs of the coodinates determine the quadrant where the point lies.
Tell the quadrant where each of the following ordered pairs are found.

a. (-1, 2) ans: Q II b. (3, 2) ans: Q I c. (2, -5) ans: Q IV d. (-1, -2) ans: Q - III
8 WWPoli MNHS, Math Dept.

Points in the Coordinate Axes

Every point on the x axis has an ordinate equal to zero. Every point on the y axis has an abscissa equal to zero.

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

Locating a Point in the Plane


In locating the point (a, b) in the coordinate system, the abscissa tells whether we go right or left of the origin, while the ordinate tells whether we go up or down the x axis. Example. Locate the points A(4, -3) and B (-3, 4)

10

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

Exercises
1. What are the coordinates of the origin? ans: ( 0, 0 ) 2. What is the abscissa of (-6,4)? ans: -6 3. What is the ordinate of (2,-7) ans: -7 4. What is the ordinate of a point on the x axis? ans: 0 5. What is the abscissa of a point on the y axis? ans: 0 6. In what quadrants would a point lie if its abscissa and ordinate are equal? ans: QI or Q-III
11 WWPoli MNHS, Math Dept.

Exercises
7. In what quadrants would a point lie if its abscissa and ordinate are numerically equal but of opposite signs? ans: Q-II or Q-IV 8. Where would a point lie if its ordinate is 5? ans: horizontal line 5 units above the x - axis 9. What can be said of points with equal abscissas ans: The points lie on a vertical line 10. What can be said of points lying on the line through the origin bisecting the 1st and 3rd quadrants? ans: the points have equal abscissas & ordinates

12

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

Exercises
11. What do points on the line parallel to the x axis 5 units above it have in common ans: All points have ordinates equal to 5 12. What is the distance from the x axis to (7, -2) ans: 2 13. What is the distance from the y axis to (3,5)? ans: 3 14. What can be said of points lying on the line through the origin bisecting the 2nd and 4th quadrants? ans: The abscissa and ordinate is numerically equal but opposite signs

13

WWPoli

MNHS, Math Dept.

You might also like