1.

4 Cartesian Coordinate System

A coordinate system is a means of locating the position of a point in space.

In the Cartesian coordinate system, the position vector r of a point is specified in terms of
the unit vectors i

, j

, and k

which point along the x , y , and z axis respectively.

The unit vectors are mutually perpendicular and the position vector for point z y x P , , is
given by

z k y j x i

r (13)

The magnitude of r is obtained by help of equation (7) thus

r r r (14)

But using equation (13)

z k y j x i z k y j x i

r r

xz k i xy j i x i i

2
r r

yz k j y j j yx i j

2



2

z k k zy j k zx i k (15)

Using

1

k k j j i i (16)

0 ...

k j k i j i (17)

we have

2 2 2
z y x r r

and from equation (14)

2 2 2
z y x r (18)

Equation (18) is an extension of the Pythagoras theorem to three dimensions.

In general any vector A may be expressed in the Cartesian coordinate system as

z y x
A k A j A i

A (19)

where
y x
A A , and
z
A are the components of Aalong the x , y , and z axis respectively.

The magnitude of A is given by

2 2 2
z y x
A A A A A A A (20)

The sum of the vectors AandB is given by

z y x
A k A j A i

B A

z y x
B k B j B i




z z y y x x
B A k B A j B A i

(21)


The dot product of the two vectors in the Cartesian system is


z y x z y x
B k B j B i A k A j A i

B A

z z y y x x
B A B A B A B A (22)

where we have again applied equations (16) and (17).

The cross product is given by


z y x z y x
B k B j B i A k A j A i

B A

z x y x x x
B A k i B A j i B A i i

B A

z y y y x y
B A k j B A j j B A i j


z z y z x z
B A k k B A j k B A i k

(23)

using

0

k k j j i i (24)

and

k j i

k i j

(25a)
i k j

i j k

(25b)
j i k

j k i

(25c)

we have

y z x z z y x y z x y x
B A i B A j B A i B A k B A j B A k

B A

or



x y y x z x x z y z z y
B A B A k B A B A j B A B A i

B A (26)

Equations (26) may be written compactly in terms of determinants of second order

y x
y x
x z
x z
z y
z y
B B
A A
k
B B
A A
j
B B
A A
i

B A (27)

or in terms of a determinant of third order

z y x
z y x
B B B
A A A
k j i

B A (28)