Coordinate Systems
The Cartesian coordinate system is introduced to students as a means of graphing the relationship between variables. One of its advantages is that its use requires only a basic understanding of math. This is, however, not the only coordinate system. Students are often introduced to the polar coordinate system at the undergraduate level, which requires an understanding of trigonometric functions as well as complex numbers. The barycentric coordinate system is one that I did not stumble upon until recently, though it was developed centuries ago. The level of math involved can easily be grasped at the senior levels, and so I present here an overview of the barycentric coordinate system. Enjoy!