polar coordinate

noun

, Mathematics.

1. Usually polar coordinates. one of two coordinates used to locate a point in a plane by the length of its radius vector and the angle this vector makes with the polar axis polar angle.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polar coordinate¹

First recorded in 1810–20

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

Instead of using stodgy Cartesian coordinates, Black Rock City is organized along polar coordinates, making its coordinate system unique among massive fire-themed desert art festivals.

From Scientific American

Right, firing rate as a function of head direction during random foraging, plotted in polar coordinates.

From Nature

Critical mathematical applications such as Fourier transforms, Riemann zeta functions, Gaussian distributions, roots of unity, integrating over polar coordinates and pretty much anything involving trigonometry employs pi.

From Scientific American

The complex number 1+i, written in rectangular and polar coordinates.

From Scientific American