Scribd
Upload
18 views

Cylindrical Coordinates

Cylindrical coordinates are an extension of polar coordinates to three dimensions. They describe a point in space using its radial distance r from the origin in the x-y plane, the azimuthal angle θ measured from the positive x-axis, and the vertical height z. Converting between rectangular and cylindrical coordinates involves calculating r as the distance in the x-y plane using the Pythagorean theorem, and θ as the arctangent of y/x to determine the angle in the plane. This allows representing a 3D point using cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, z) instead of Cartesian (x, y, z).

Uploaded by

Jyothsna Vayyala
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
18 views

Cylindrical Coordinates

Cylindrical coordinates are an extension of polar coordinates to three dimensions. They describe a point in space using its radial distance r from the origin in the x-y plane, the azimuthal angle θ measured from the positive x-axis, and the vertical height z. Converting between rectangular and cylindrical coordinates involves calculating r as the distance in the x-y plane using the Pythagorean theorem, and θ as the arctangent of y/x to determine the angle in the plane. This allows representing a 3D point using cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, z) instead of Cartesian (x, y, z).

Uploaded by

Jyothsna Vayyala
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

z

y
Cylindrical Coordinates
But, first, lets go back to 2D
x
y
x
Cartesian Coordinates 2D
(x,y)
x
y
x= distance from +y axis
y= distance from +x axis
y
x
Polar Coordinates

r
(r, )
r= distance from origin
= angle from + x axis
y
x
Relationship between Polar and
Cartesian Coordinates

r
x
y
From Polar to Cartesian
From Cartesian to Polar
x
From Polar to Cartesian
cos =

x = r cos
sin =

y = r sin
From Cartesian to Polar
By Pythagorean Theorem
2 2 2
r y x = +

tan = y/x
x/r
y/r
y
x
Example: Plot the point (2,7/6)
and convert it into rectangular
coordinates
7/6
22
2
(x,y)

x = r cos
y = r sin
x = 2cos(7/6)

3 = x
y = 2sin(7/6)

1 = x
y
x
Example: Convert the point (-1,2)
into polar coordinates
(-1,2)


5 = r

2 tan =
2 2 2
y x r + =
2 2 2
) 2 ( ) 1 ( + = r
x
y
= ) tan(
1
2
) tan(

=

? ) 2 ( tan
1
=

? 63
o
=
No! (wrong quadrant)
o o
117 180 63 = + =
-63
o
z
y
Cylindrical Coordinates are
Polar Coordinates in 3D.
Imagine the projection of the
point (x,y,z) onto the xy plane..
(x,y,z)
x
x
x
y
z
y
Cylindrical Coordinates are
Polar Coordinates in 3D.
Now, imagine converting the x
& y coordinates into polar:
(r, , z)
r
r = distance in the xy plane
z
x
r

= angle in xy plane
(from the positive x axis)
r = distance in the xy plane
z = vertical height
z
y
/2
3/4

5/4
3/2
Its very important to recognize
where certain angles lie on the
xy plane in 3D coordinates:
x
0
/4
/2
7/4
2
z
y
Now, let's do an example.
Plot the point (3,/4,6)
Then estimate where the
angle would be and
redraw the same radius r
along that angle
First, draw the radius r along
the x axis
Then put the z coordinate
Final point = (3,/4,6)
x
Then put the z coordinate
on the edges of the angle
And finally, redraw the
radius and angle on top
z
y
Conversion:
Rectangular to Cylindrical
x
2
+y
2
=r
2
tan()=y/x
Z always = Z
x

y
x
z
y
Conversion:
Cylindrical to Rectangular
x=r*cos()
y=r*sin()
Z always = Z
r
x

y
x
r

You might also like