ordonnée

Ordonnée is the French term for the y-coordinate in a Cartesian coordinate system. It designates the vertical component of a point’s position, measured along the y-axis from the origin, with its sign indicating direction.

In two dimensions, a point is written as (x, y), where x is the abscisse (the horizontal coordinate) and y is the ordonnée. For example, the point P = (3, -7) has an abscisse of 3 and an ordonnée of -7. The ordonnée is essential in graphing, geometry, and algebra, and it determines where a point lies above or below the x-axis.

The concept extends to higher dimensions: in a three-dimensional system (x, y, z), the ordinate remains the second coordinate, corresponding to the y-value. Depending on context, the third coordinate is referred to as the z-coordinate, and terminology may vary between disciplines, but ordonnée commonly retains its meaning as the vertical component in the plane.

In mathematical notation and practice, ordonnée is often used interchangeably with “y-coordinate” in English-language descriptions. It appears in formulas and graphs, such as y = f(x), where y represents the ordonnée of the graph at a given abscissa x. Overall, the ordonnée is a fundamental element in describing positions and relationships within planar geometry.