# What is the name for axes above 3 dimensions in Euclidean space?

I'm writing a program that works with points in n dimensions. It would be nice to be able to work with the names of those axes (like X, Y, and Z) instead of axis 1, axis 2, axis 3, etc., but I have a problem. If I go above 3 axes, I don't know what name comes after 3 (Z). I looked online, and no one seemed to have an answer. They just called it something like "Four Dimensional Space", which is great, but not what I'm looking for. I could make up names, but I wanted to ask: Is there a standard used in mathematics for the names of axes above 3/after Z?

P.S. I should clarify I'm talking about Euclidean/Plotting space, if you couldn't tell already.

Edit: I should further clarify and mention that I mean the names of the coordinates themselves, not name of the actual space. I understand 3 Dimensional Space, 4 Dimensional Space, 5 Dimensional Space, etc. I'm asking about the name of the axes themselves.

• Do you want a name for spaces with more than 3 dimensions or a name for the coordinates (like X,Y,Z)? – Tony S.F. May 30 at 17:22
• For the coordinates themselves. – Chipster May 30 at 17:23
• @Chipster generally for $n$ dimensions we drop $x,y,z$ (for the very issue you are encountering here), and change to $(x_1, x_2, \cdots , x_n)$ – rubikscube09 May 30 at 17:25
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## 1 Answer

It would probably be clearer to talk about "axes" instead of "dimensions": in three-dimensional space, we have the $$x$$-axis, the $$y$$-axis, and the $$z$$-axis.

As for variable names, it wouldn't be unusual to use $$w$$ after $$x,y,z$$. Alternatively, use $$(x_1,x_2,x_3,x_4)$$. In the end, you can use any variable names you like, so long as your system is coherent.

• Yeah, I'm talking about the name of axes, coordinates, not the name of the space itself. See my edit. Thanks for the quick answer, though. – Chipster May 30 at 17:32
• Tried to make it clearer. Edited again. – Chipster May 30 at 17:41