Geographic coordinates vs vector space coordinates.

[RachelCx99]

Why is it not possible to interpret (latitude, longitude, elevation) as the coordinates of some basis vectors inside some vector space.?
What is the difference difference between geographic coordinates and vector space coordinates?

 

[Deleted member 4993]

Why is it not possible to interpret (latitude, longitude, elevation) as the coordinates of some basis vectors inside some vector space.?
What is the difference difference between geographic coordinates and vector space coordinates?

Please show us what you have tried and exactly where you are stuck.

Please follow the rules of posting in this forum, as enunciated at:

READ BEFORE POSTING​

Please share your work/thoughts about this problem.

 

[RachelCx99]

My thoughts are that GPS coordinates are only for the surface of a sphere but that is all I have got.

 

[Deleted member 4993]

My thoughts are that GPS coordinates are only for the surface of a sphere but that is all I have got.

Vectors can be defined in spherical co-ordinate system.

Where did you encounter the statement:

"... it not possible to interpret (latitude, longitude, elevation) as the coordinates of some basis vectors ..."

 

[Dr.Peterson]

Why is it not possible to interpret (latitude, longitude, elevation) as the coordinates of some basis vectors inside some vector space.?
What is the difference difference between geographic coordinates and vector space coordinates?

I think this statement is intended to mean that you can't take lat-long-elev as the rectangular coordinates of a vector, rather than that you can't describe vectors in spherical coordinates (which are not really a vector-space concept, as they apply only to 3-d space which has extra propoerties). The question could be clearer.