# Geographical location using Spherical Coordinate system

• May 12th 2012, 10:53 AM
karrotsrkool
Geographical location using Spherical Coordinate system
Hi, this is a really complex maths problem and being from the UK I have no idea what level of maths this is so I guessed university. I drew a picture:
Attachment 23847
If you have any questions about it then please ask,
Thanks you so much Andy A
• May 12th 2012, 11:11 AM
HallsofIvy
Re: Geographical location using Spherical Coordinate system
Kind of a bad thing to say about the UK isn't it?

Given point $C= (x_1, y_1, z_1)$ and [tex]P= (x_0, y_0, z_0)[/itex] then $$ is a vector from the center of the sphere to C and so is normal to the sphere and a tangent plane at C. That means that we can write the equation of the plane as $(x_1- x_0)(x- x_0)+ (y_1-y_0)(y- y_0)+ (z_1-z_0(z- z_0)= 0$. Now, you say that M is a point on that tangent plane and it "coordinates" are known. But to give 3D coordinates, we would have to know what the coordinate system on that planeis and how it is connected to the three dimensional coordinate system.
• May 13th 2012, 02:08 AM
karrotsrkool
Re: Geographical location using Spherical Coordinate system
I meant that I don't know where you would learn that in the US as the grading system is different.
To the problem, the coordinates are based between Cartesian coordinates which is what I need the product to be and this is all for a program. I think I have a solution by using the triangle PCM to get the angle MPC in both azimuth angle and inclination angle then getting a distance from the centre which I'm thinking about and then using these numbers and using the spherical coordinate system to get the Cartesian coordinates. I'll let you know if it works.