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    Polar Coordinates

    Illustration

    Illustration

    Basic definition

    Polar coordinates are a two-dimensional coordinate system in which points in two dimensions are given by an angle and a distance from the origin.

    Detailed definition

    The polar coordinates r (the radial coordinate) and θ (the angular coordinate, often called the polar angle) are defined in terms of Cartesian coordinates by
x | = | r cos θ
y | = | r sin θ, where r is the radial distance from the origin, and θ is the counterclockwise angle from the x-axis. In terms of x and y, r | = | sqrt(x^2 + y^2)
θ | = | tan^(-1)(y/x).

    Educational grade level

    high school level (California trigonometry standard)

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