Definition:Orientation of Coordinate Axes/Cartesian Plane/Right-Handed

Definition
A Cartesian plane is defined as being right-handed if it has the following property:

Let a right hand be placed, with palm uppermost, such that the thumb points along the $x$-axis in the positive direction, such that the thumb and index finger are at right-angles to each other.

Then the index finger is pointed along the $y$-axis in the positive direction.


 * Right-hand-cartesian-plane.png

Also known as
A right-handed orientation of a Cartesian plane is also referred to as:
 * the positive orientation
 * the standard orientation.

Also see

 * Definition:Left-Handed Cartesian Plane