2
Basic theory and mathematical
results
This chapter describes the essential mathematical concepts that form the basis
for most 3D computer graphics theory. It also establishes the notation and con-
ventions that will be used throughout the book. Ther e are many texts that cover
3D computer graphics in great detail, and if you are unfamiliar with the details
considered in this chapter consult other references [2, 15, 89]. For books that
cover the mathematical theory in more detail you might consult Foley et al. [31],
Rogers and Adams [76] or Mortenson [61].
If you wish you can skip directly to chapter 4 where the main topics of the
book begin with details of algorithms for the rendering pipeline. Refer back to
the appropriate sections in this chapter ...