A Cartesian coordinate system is a coordinate systemthat specifies each pointuniquely in a planeby a pair of numerical coordinates, which are thessigneddistances to the point from two fixed perpendiculardirected lines, measured in the same unit of length. Each reference line is called a coordinate axesor just axisof the system, and the point where they meet is its origin, usually at ordered pair(0, 0). The coordinates can also be defined as the positions of the perpendicular projectionsof the point onto the two axes, expressed as signed distances from the origin.