coordinate system

noun

, Mathematics.

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

coordinate system

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.

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

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

Invent a coordinate system where the ship’s bow—the single most important reference point in this Seussian landscape—serves as the axis around which everything else is oriented.

From Scientific American

He called them “false roots,” which explains why he never extended his coordinate system to the negative numbers.

From Literature

Most states mandate the use of the old U.S. survey foot for their state coordinate systems, which allow surveyors to take into account Earth’s curvature in their measurements.

From New York Times