coordonnée

Coordonnée is a noun in French meaning coordinate. In mathematics, a coordinate is a number that locates a point within a coordinate system; coordinates together specify the position of a point in a space. In two-dimensional Cartesian coordinates, a point is represented by an ordered pair (x, y); in three dimensions by (x, y, z). More generally, a point in n-dimensional space is given by n coordinates. Coordinate systems provide a framework for measuring locations, and coordinate functions map points to their coordinates.

Different systems exist beyond Cartesian: polar coordinates (r, θ) in the plane; cylindrical and spherical coordinates in space; and many nonstandard systems used in various fields. The choice of system depends on convenience for the problem at hand. Geographic coordinates refer to positions on the Earth defined by latitude and longitude, often expressed in degrees, minutes, and seconds, with a reference datum such as WGS 84.

In French, coordonnées (plural) is commonly used to refer to the set of numbers that locates a point, and coordonnée (singular) can also appear in items such as coordinate values or data records. The concept underpins analytic geometry, computer graphics, physics, and navigation, reflecting the shift from qualitative descriptions of position to quantitative measurements.

See also: Cartesian coordinate system, coordinate geometry, geodesy.