Cartesian coordinates are a system used to locate points on a two-dimensional plane using two perpendicular number lines, known as the x-axis and y-axis.
To convert Cartesian coordinates (x, y) to polar coordinates (r, θ), use the following equations:
r = √(x² + y²)
θ = tan⁻¹(y/x)
where r is the distance from the origin and θ is the angle formed with the positive x-axis.
Polar coordinates are a system used to locate points on a two-dimensional plane using a radius (r) and an angle (θ) from a fixed point, known as the pole or origin.
To convert polar coordinates (r, θ) to Cartesian coordinates (x, y), use the following equations:
x = rcos(θ)
y = rsin(θ)
where r is the distance from the origin and θ is the angle formed with the positive x-axis.
Polar coordinates are often preferred for representing circular or radial data, such as in polar graphs or in navigation systems. They also allow for a more intuitive representation of points in terms of distance and direction from a fixed point, rather than absolute values on a number line.