APPENDIX A: NOTATION AND DRAWINGS
FOR GEOMETRIC OPTICS
Geometric optics necessarily involves a large number of variables, and many authors disagree
on the notation. It is often a difcult task for the seasoned expert to keep in mind the meanings
of various terms dened in different texts and papers. Presenting the notation as it is used can
be helpful, but can either become repetitive if it is discussed at each use, or can require the
reader to search through many chapters to nd the denitions. Although the chapters present
each denition the rst time it is used, this appendix summarizes them all in a single location.
The reader may wish to refer to this appendix particularly during the study of the rst ve
chapters of the text.
A.1 DIRECTION
Whene ...