Question: Inconsistency in spherical polar definition??

The Maple help definition for spherical coordinates uses the triple (r, φ, θ) (Note the ordering!!) with φ in the range 0..Π and θ in the range 0..2Π. This means that the second entry in the triple is the zenith angle (latitude) and the third entry in th triple is the azimuth angle (longitude). This is confirmed by the relation to cartesian coordinates stated on the definition page as
x= r sin(φ) cos(θ)

y= r sin(φ) sin(θ)

z= r cos(φ)

However the help page for coords has spherical polars defined by the triple (u, v, w), with the relation to cartesian coordinates given as

x= u cos(v) sin(w)

y= u sin(v) sin(w)

z= u cos(w)

which suggests that this time it is the third entry in the triple (ie w) which is the zenith angle (latitude), with the second entry being the azimuth (longitude).

My simple-minded attempt to check which of these interpretations is correct is shown in the attached worksheet. This seems to confirm that the MapleHelp definitions page is correct and the help/coords page is incorrect - or am I missing something??

Download posVecChk.mw

 

 

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