Definition:Coordinate System/Coordinate

Definition
Let $\left \langle {a_n} \right \rangle$ be a coordinate system of a unitary $R$-module $G$.

Let $\displaystyle x \in G: x = \sum_{k \mathop = 1}^n \lambda_k a_k$.

The scalars $\lambda_1, \lambda_2, \ldots, \lambda_n$ can be referred to as the coordinates of $x$ relative to $\left \langle {a_n} \right \rangle$.

Linguistic Note
It's an awkward word coordinate. It really needs a hyphen in it to emphasise its pronounciation (loosely and commonly: coe-wordinate), and indeed, some authors spell it co-ordinate. However, this makes it look unwieldy.

An older spelling puts a diaeresis indication symbol on the second "o": coördinate. But this is considered archaic nowadays and few sources still use it.