The French mathematician, Rene Descartes devised the two-dimensional coordinate plane (Cartesian plane). It enables us to describe the positions of objects using the grid system. We can construct a coordinate plane and use the grid to plot, name and locate points in the two-dimensional plane. The two-dimensions are names as “axes” with the horizontal line as the ‘x-axis’ and the vertical line as the ‘y-axis’. The position of a point on a surface, relative to another point, can be described using angular measurement. Positions are expressed as bearings. There are two conventions: ‘True bearings’ – relative to NORTH only, and ‘Compass bearings’ – relative to two points, closest to any either North or South of the compass. The compass represents a ‘Full Turn – 360°’ and the points on the compass represent parts of a turn. A scale is a ratio device for representing ground distances on the maps.
