Coordinate System |
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A special class of coordinate systems are those where each line of one set intersect at right angles to every line of the other set. Such a system is called an Orthogonal Coordinate System.
Here are some orthogonal coordinate systems in two dimensions
![]() | Cartesian Coordinate System - Coordinate curves are both straight lines - named after the inventor of the system René Descartes |
![]() | Polar Coordinate System - Coordinate curves are circles and straight lines |
![]() | Parabolic Coordinate System - Coordinate curves are both parabolas |
![]() | Bipolar Coordinate System - Coordinate curves are both circles |
![]() | Elliptic Coordinate System - Coordinate curves are ellipses and hyperbolae |
By extension Coordinate Systems exist for three and more dimensions.