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Polar Coordinates

Polar Coordinates

A way to describe the location of a point on a plane. A point is given coordinates (r, θ). r is the distance from the point to the origin. θ is the angle measured counterclockwise from the polar axis to the segment connecting the point to the origin.

Note: With polar coordinates a given point has many possible representations. θ has many possible values depending on which coterminal angle is chosen, and r can be positive or negative.

 

Polar coordinate diagram showing point (r, θ), with r as length from origin and θ as angle from horizontal polar axis.

 

 

See also

Polar-rectangular conversion formulas, area using polar coordinates, polar derivative formulas, parametric equations