cylindrical coordinate

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. Usually cylindrical coordinates a member of a system of coordinates for locating a point in space by its polar coordinates and its perpendicular distance to the polar plane.

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Etymology

Origin of cylindrical coordinate

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

The coordinate θ in the spherical coordinate system is the same as in the cylindrical coordinate system, so surfaces of the form θ = c are half-planes, as before.

From Textbooks • Mar. 30, 2016

Starting with polar coordinates, we can follow this same process to create a new three- dimensional coordinate system, called the cylindrical coordinate system.

From Textbooks • Mar. 30, 2016