Polar plane
Definition
The polar plane is a coordinate system that represents points using a distance (r) and an angle (θ) from the origin. It is an alternative to the Cartesian coordinate system.
Analogy
Imagine you are standing at the center of a circular field, and you want to describe the position of objects around you. Instead of using left-right and up-down directions like in a map, you use distances from yourself (r) and angles relative to your facing direction (θ).
Related terms
Polar function: A polar function is a mathematical equation that relates the distance (r) and angle (θ) coordinates in the polar plane. It describes curves or shapes in terms of their radial distance from the origin.
Cartesian plane: The Cartesian plane is another coordinate system that uses x and y coordinates to represent points on a flat surface. It is commonly used for graphing functions.
Rectangular coordinates: Rectangular coordinates refer to points represented by their x and y values in the Cartesian coordinate system. They are also known as Cartesian coordinates.
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