what kind of math uses the z-axis?

Question

I ask because a lot of game programming and graphic design seems to use the z-axis a lot. I didn't know what kind of math uses it so I could understand it and its relation to programming graphics applications. I don't remember seeing it - all the way up to calc 2.

Answer 1

I'm willing to bet that if you go back to your trigonometry book, there will be a section near the end that explains how all of the trigonometry you learned so far can be extended into three dimensions.

Answer 2

Linear algebra. Matrix math. Usually available in first or second year math, separate from calculus track.

This is what you study specifically for working in three-d vector space with transforms, etc.

Answer 3

The z-axis typically refers to the third coordinate axis in what is known as xyz-space or better known as three-dimensional space. If you think of xy-space as a sheet of paper infinite in every direction, xyz-space is a block infinite in every direction. One way to get xyz-space is to add a vertical coordinate to xy-space telling you how far above or below you are from the infinite sheet of paper from xy-space.

If you take Calculus 3 you will definitely study it there as in most universities that is multi-dimensional calculus.

As for which branches of math use the z-axis, here's some of the major branches that do:

• Linear algebra: abstract study of vectors (when restricted to matrix theory in three-dimensions it is very important to computer graphics)
• Knot theory: study of knots (yes, this is a serious and deep branch of mathematics)
• Applied mathematics, especially relating to physical and engineering problems
• Topology: the abstract study of continuous deformations of objects; until recently the Poincaré conjecture was one of the most famous unsolved problems in all of mathematics

Answer 4

Altough this question is seemly on the wrong site, I respond anyway:

The Z-Axis is a extra axis when you need more than 2 dimensions, several software use it to point "up", the problem is that now all software point up in the same direction, some ""up" mean the upper part of the screen, others "up" mean coming out of the screen and going either toward you or away from you.

Answer 5

Usually you will see the z-axis sometime in high school for a little bit, then it comes back after calc 2 in calc 3 classes; which is often "regular calculous in 3D", after than you will again see it in Linear Algebra classes, and that is the most relevant kind of math for 3d graphics

So the short answer "Linear Algebra"