Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2013 / Paper 2 / 7

Use the convention that $\theta$ is the polar angle from positive $z$, and $\varphi$ the azimuth from positive $x$. The radius isThen $\cos \theta =z/r=\sqrt{3}/2$, while $\tan \varphi =y/x=\sqrt{3}$ and both planar coordinates are positive. Thus the spherical coordinates are

Project the radius vector onto the $x$-$y$ plane. The polar angle $\theta =\pi /6$ lies between the positive $z$ axis and $OP$. The azimuth $\varphi =\pi /3$ lies in the $x$-$y$ plane between the positive $x$ axis and the projection of $OP$, measured toward positive $y$.