Polar Coordinates Converter
Convert between Cartesian and polar coordinate systems.
This tool is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional financial, medical, legal, or engineering advice. See Terms of Service.
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Request a ToolHow to Use the Polar Coordinates Converter
This tool converts between Cartesian (x, y) and polar (r, theta) coordinate systems.
- Select the mode. Choose "Cartesian to Polar" or "Polar to Cartesian."
- Enter the values. For Cartesian, enter x and y. For polar, enter r and theta (in degrees).
- View the result. The converted coordinates update automatically.
About Polar Coordinates
Polar coordinates represent a point using a distance r from the origin and an angle theta from the positive x-axis. To convert from Cartesian to polar: r = sqrt(x^2 + y^2) and theta = atan2(y, x). To convert from polar to Cartesian: x = r * cos(theta) and y = r * sin(theta). Polar coordinates are especially useful for circular and spiral shapes, physics problems with radial symmetry, and navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are polar coordinates?
Polar coordinates specify a point by its distance from the origin (r) and the angle from the positive x-axis (theta), rather than using x and y offsets.
Is theta in degrees or radians?
This calculator uses degrees for input and displays both degrees and radians in the output.
When are polar coordinates more useful than Cartesian?
Polar coordinates are preferred for problems involving circles, spirals, and rotational symmetry, where the distance from a center point and the angle are more natural descriptors.