Polar coordinates (
r,
![](http://info.babylon.com/onlinebox.cgi?rt=GetFile&uri=!!W6GCRMJ4FX&type=0&index=16)
) represent the location of a point (in 2D space) by its distance (
r) from a fixed point on a fixed line (polar axis) and the angle (
![](http://info.babylon.com/onlinebox.cgi?rt=GetFile&uri=!!W6GCRMJ4FX&type=0&index=16)
, in radians) from that fixed line.
Polar plots are used to visualize functions. They also offer an intuitive way to present relations involving a variable representing direction.
See also,
Cartesian Coordinates .