An 'octant' is one of eight divisions.
Octant in the plane
An 'octant' is one of 8 parts of the two-dimensional
Euclidean coordinate system.
Traditionally wind direction is given as one of the 8 octants (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) because that is more accurate than merely giving one of the 4 quadrants, and the
wind vane typically does not have enough accuracy to bother with more precise indication.
Octant in three-dimensional space
An 'octant' is one of the eight divisions of a
Euclidean three-dimensional coordinate system. It is similar to the two-dimensional
quadrant and the one-dimensional
ray.
The ''n''-dimensional generalization is the
orthant.
Octant order
Usually, the octant with all three positive coordinates is referred to as the ''first octant''. Nevertheless there is no generally used naming convention for the other seven octants.
See also
★
Octa