coordinate system

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. a system of coordinates that uses numbers to represent a point, line, or the like.

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coordinate system Scientific  

1. A system of representing points in a space of given dimensions by coordinates, such as the Cartesian coordinate system or the system of celestial longitude and latitude.

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Example Sentences

Eventually she leads us toward more abstract concepts such as the polar coordinate system, a graphical approach to defining a point using distance and angle, as well as irrational numbers and decimals that repeat infinitely.

From Scientific American • Jun. 20, 2023

And whereas Ptolemy based his coordinate system on the ecliptic, Hipparchus used the celestial equator, a system more common in modern star maps.

From Scientific American • Oct. 20, 2022

In this case the best coordinate system has one axis horizontal and the other vertical.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

The best choice for a coordinate system is one with an axis parallel to the velocity of the incoming particle, as shown in Figure 8.14.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

Descartes quickly realized how powerful his coordinate system was.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife