What Are Coordinates?

Coordinates are numerical values that uniquely identify a point's position in a space. The most common systems:

Cartesian (Rectangular)

2D: (x, y) – distances from origin along perpendicular axes.
3D: (x, y, z) – adds vertical axis.

Polar (2D) / Spherical / Cylindrical (3D)

2D Polar: (r, θ) – radius (distance from origin) and angle from reference axis.
3D Spherical: (r, θ, φ) – radius, inclination, azimuth.

Geographic (Lat/Lon)

Latitude (–90° to +90°) north/south of equator.
Longitude (–180° to +180°) east/west of prime meridian.
Used for GPS, mapping, navigation.

Applications

• Navigation (GPS, maps, charts)
• Surveying & GIS
• Robotics & CNC (machine positioning)
• Computer graphics & video games
• Physics & engineering (vectors, fields)
• Astronomy (celestial coordinates)

Coordinates are the language of spatial precision.