polar coordinates

British  

plural noun

1. a pair of coordinates for locating a point in a plane by means of the length of a radius vector, r, which pivots about the origin to establish the angle, θ, that the position of the point makes with a fixed line. Usually written ( r , θ) See also Cartesian coordinates spherical coordinates

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Example Sentences

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polar coordinates

Use the conversion formulas to convert equations between rectangular and polar coordinates.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

Then simplify to get x2 + y2 = 2x, which in polar coordinates becomes r 2 = 2r cos θ and then either r = 0 or r = 2 cos θ.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

This is exactly the same process that we followed in Introduction to Parametric Equations and Polar Coordinates to convert from polar coordinates to two-dimensional rectangular coordinates.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

In this section, we look at two different ways of describing the location of points in space, both of them based on extensions of polar coordinates.

From Textbooks ● Mar. 30, 2016

In the geometry of motion under central forces the advantage of working with polar coordinates is great.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 6 "Geodesy" to "Geometry" by Various