Distance and Direction

Polar coordinates

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Polar coordinates: distance r from the pole and angle θ from the x-axis.
• x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ; r = √(x² + y²); check the quadrant for θ.
• Each point has many polar names: add 360°, or use negative r.

Steps

1. Another way to say where
2. Find the spot
3. Polar to Cartesian
4. Cartesian to polar
5. Many names for one point
6. Two radar blips