Historically Speaking,—: Johann Hudde and space coordinates (original) (raw)

The beginnings of analytic geometry in three dimensions generally are said to be found in 1679 in the Lieux géométriques of Philippe de Lahire (1640-1718) [l].* While such a judgment is not essentially incorrect, it is important nevertheless to note at least one precursor, Johann Hudde (1629-1704), who was responsible for an adumbration of space coordinates antedating Lahire's work by twenty-two years.