2007-02-27 10:03:46 · 4 answers · asked by caitlin cool 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Other - Education
The X and Y are also called the Abcissa and Ordinant. There is also a Z axis, but in general, when Rene Descartes came up with his Cartesian co-ordinate system, he had to name them somthing, so he picked the last three letters of the alphabet, which is as arbitray as picking the first. But isn't X and Y easier than Abcissa and Ordinant.
2007-02-27 10:13:29 · answer #1 · answered by jason e 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
But we don't.
What gave you that idea?
We call the Y Clive the Clot from Cumbria and the X Roger the Rat from Romania and the Y Peter Piper with the problem from Peru.
2007-02-27 18:08:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The call it the Y and X axis so they can be reference points to create a measuring guide. this pretty much means they are a system invented to help determine the size of an object
2007-02-27 18:12:01 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The x axis goes across and the letter x is "a cross". And they just picked the letter y for the other one.
2007-02-27 18:11:18 · answer #4 · answered by MP5 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋