coordinate system: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	coordinates

Photos

Diagram showing the rotation of coordinate axes by an angle phi, with original x- and y-axes and rotated x'- and y'-axes, illustrating how a point's coordinates change after rotation.

See All Images →

Topics

Cartesian coordinates polar coordinates homogeneous coordinates generalized coordinates spherical coordinate system axis analytic geometry reference frame Celestial coordinates mathematics foundations of mathematics probability and statistics numerals and numeral systems matrix function fractal graph derivative algorithm vector

Italian-born physicist Dr. Enrico Fermi draws a diagram at a blackboard with mathematical equations. circa 1950.

Define It: Math Terms

Equations written on blackboard

Numbers and Mathematics