Learn How to Pronounce coordinates | YouPronounce.it
How to Pronounce coordinates
(Listen to the audio below for the stress and intonation)
Meaning and Context
Coordinates are a fundamental mathematical and geographical concept, defined as a set of numbers—and occasionally letters—that precisely specify the location of a point within a defined space or system. In the Cartesian coordinate system, points are plotted using X and Y axes on a two-dimensional plane, or with an added Z-axis for three-dimensional space, forming the backbone of analytic geometry, computer graphics, and engineering design. In geography and navigation, geographic coordinates, specifically latitude and longitude, are indispensable for pinpointing any location on Earth, enabling the functionality of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, digital mapping services, and geocaching. This system of ordered pairs or triples is also critical in data visualization, where plotting data points on a scatter plot reveals trends and correlations, and in astronomy for celestial coordinates that map the positions of stars and planets. Understanding how to read and plot coordinates is essential for tasks ranging from land surveying and urban planning to programming video game environments and interpreting spatial data.
Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings
The term "coordinates" is most commonly and correctly spelled as such, with the plural 's'. A frequent misspelling occurs by omitting the second 'o', resulting in "cordinates," or by incorrectly doubling the 'r' as in "cooridnates." Another common typographical error is "coordiantes," which transposes the 'i' and the 'a'. It is important to distinguish "coordinates" (the noun or verb relating to position) from "co-ordinates," a hyphenated variant that is now largely considered archaic in modern American English, though it may occasionally be seen in older British texts. The verb form, meaning to organize or harmonize elements, is spelled identically ("she coordinates the team"), which can sometimes lead to confusion in context but not in spelling. Users should also be mindful of homophones like "ordinance" (a law or decree) and "ordinance" (as in artillery), which are unrelated but sound similar in part.
Example Sentences
The archaeologist carefully recorded the GPS coordinates of the newly discovered artifact to ensure the site could be relocated with precision.
Before plotting the data, she entered the X and Y coordinates from the experiment into a spreadsheet to generate a scatter plot.
The success of the military operation depended on the squad's ability to synchronize their movements and coordinates perfectly.
In geometry class, students learned that the coordinates (0,0) represent the origin on a Cartesian plane.
The ship's captain adjusted their course after receiving the updated coordinates for the safe harbor from the coast guard.
To find the hidden geocache, you must first convert the cryptic clue into a set of usable latitude and longitude coordinates.
The 3D modeling software allows you to manipulate an object by directly inputting new coordinates for its vertices.