In coordinate form, a line through A(x1,y1,z1) with direction ratios a,b,c consists of every point P(x,y,z) whose direction ratios from A, namely x−x1, y−y1, z−z1, are proportional to a,b,c. Writing this proportionality as a chain of equal fractions gives the Cartesian equations of the line: ax−x1=by−y1=cz−z1. A line in three-dimensional space can never be captured by one equation alone (a single equation in x,y,z describes a plane), so this chain is really shorthand for two independent equations at once. This is called the symmetric form, and it is valid only when none of a,b,c is zero, since each appears as a denominator; when at least one direction ratio is zero, the equations must instead be written in parametric form, x=x1+λa, y=y1+λb, z=z1+λc. Setting the common ratio equal to a parameter λ recovers this parametric form directly, and — as in the vector case — each value of λ gives one point on the line. If direction cosines l,m,n are used instead of general direction ratios, the parameter λ takes on the extra meaning of literally being the signed distance of the point from the base point A, since l2+m2+n2=1 forces AP=∣λ∣.