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

Grid lines for spherical coordinates are based on angle measures, like those for polar coordinates.

From Textbooks • Mar. 30, 2016

Figure 5.76 Changing a region from rectangular to polar coordinates.

From Textbooks • Mar. 30, 2016

In polar coordinates, the circle is r = 2 cos θ so the region of integration in polar coordinates is bounded by 0 ≤ r ≤ cos θ and 0 ≤ θ ≤ π .

From Textbooks • Mar. 30, 2016

The area dA in polar coordinates becomes r dr dθ.

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