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Edit made on November 21, 2008 by derekcouzens at 12:06:23

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Two Dimensional Coordinate Systems are a method of describing a point in a plane using an ordered pair of numbers EQN:(n_1,n_2) called coordinates such that EQN:n_1 = constant is a set of non-intersecting lines (or curves). Similarly, EQN:n_2 = constant produce a second set of non-intersecting lines (or curves). Therefore the ordered pair of numbers indicate a point located at the intersection of a pair of the lines (or curves), one from each set.

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.


There are six orthogonal coordinate systems in two dimensions
Here are some orthogonal coordinate systems in two dimensions

| IMG:Cartesian-coordinate-system.svg.png | Cartesian Coordinate System _ - Coordinate curves are both straight lines _ - named after the inventor of this system René Descartes |
| IMG:Cartesian-coordinate-system.svg.png | Cartesian Coordinate System _ - Coordinate curves are both straight lines _ - named after the inventor of the system René Descartes |
| IMG:Polar_graph_paper.svg.png | Polar Coordinate System _ - Coordinate curves are circles and straight lines |
| IMG:Parabolic_coords.svg.png | Parabolic Coordinate System _ - Coordinate curves are both parabolas |
| IMG:Bipolar_isosurfaces.png | Bipolar Coordinate System _ - Coordinate curves are both circles |
| IMG:Hyperbolic_coordinates.svg.png | Hyperbolic Coordinate System _ - Coordinate curves are hyperbolae and straight lines |
| IMG:Elliptical_coordinates_grid.svg.png | Elliptic Coordinate System _ - Coordinate curves are ellipses and hyperbolae |

By extension Coordinate Systems exist for three and more dimensions.