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1.09 Parametric Plotting

Literacy
1. Put x[t] = Cos[t] and y[t] = Sin[t].
Sketch on the axes below the curve traced out by {x[t], y[t]} for the given bounds on t.

 π 3π 
y t ε [0, 2π] y t ε , 
1.0 1.0 2 2 

0.5 0.5

x x
1.0 0.5 0.5 1.0 1.0 0.5 0.5 1.0

0.5 0.5

1.0 1.0

2. Put x[t] = 2 Cos[t] and y[t] = Sin[t].

Sketch on the axes below the curve traced out by {x[t], y[t]} for the given bounds on t.


y y

π 3π
2 tfrom0to
t from 0 to 2 2 tfrom0to2
t from 0 to 
2 2

1 1

x x
2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2

1 1

2
2
 3. Put x[t] = 2 Sin[t] and y[t] = 3 Cos[t].
Sketch on the axes below the curve traced out by {x[t], y[t]} for the given bounds on t.
y y
3 3
π   π π
t ε  , 2π t ε − , 
2
2  2
 2 2

1 1

x x
3 2 1 1 2 3 3 2 1 1 2 3

1 1

2 2

3 3

4. Put x[t] = t and y[t] = Sin[t].

Sketch on the axes below the curve traced out by {x[t], y[t]} as t advances from 0 to 2π.
y
1.5

1.0

0.5

x
1 2 3 4 5 6
0.5

1.0

1.5

t
5. Put x[t] = 1 + t and y[t] =
2
Sketch on the axes below the curve traced out by {x[t], y[t]} as t advances from 0 to 2.
y
1.5

1.0

0.5

x
1 2 3 4

0.5

1.0

1.5
   t 
6. When you go with x[t ] = 1.2 t + Sin[t ] and y[t ] = 21 + Cos    ,
 2
then as t advances from 0, {x[t], y[t]} sweeps out a curve:
y
4

x
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
As you can see, this curve is the graph of a function y = f [x]. But it would be a whale of a lot of
trouble (in fact, it would be impossible) to find a clean formula for f [x].
In spite of this, calculate f ′ [x ] by hand for:
 π  1.2π
a) x = x   = + 1 = 2.88496
2 2

b) x = x[π] = 1.2π = 3.76991

7. Come up with the specific values of the coordinates {x, y} of the highest point of the curve
{ }
parameterized by {x[t ], y[t ]} = t e t ,1 − t 2 with − ∞ < t < ∞ . You must justify that this is the highest
point.
8. Put {x[r, t], y[r, t], z[r, t]} = {1, 0, 1} + {r Cos[t], r Sin[t], 0}.
Describe what you get when you plot {x[r, t], y[r, t], z[r, t]} for 0 ≤ r ≤ 2 and 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π .
Is this a curve or a surface? You must describe everything about the shape so I know exactly what it
looks like in 3-space.

Put {x[t], y[t], z[t]} = {1, 0, 1} + {2 Cos[t], 2 Sin[t], 0}.

Describe what you get when you plot {x[r, t], y[r, t], z[r, t]} for 0 ≤ t ≤ 2π .
Is this a curve or a surface? You must describe everything about the shape so I know exactly what it
looks like in 3-space.

9. Curves can be thought of as one-dimensional creatures living in two or three dimensions.

How many parameters do you need to plot a curve in three dimensions?

Surfaces can be thought of as two-dimensional creatures living in three dimensions.

How many parameters do you need to plot a surface in three dimensions?

10. You are given functions x[t], y[t], z[t]. When you plot {x[t], y[t], z[t]} in three dimensions for
0 ≤ t ≤ 4 , you get a curve. What would you plot in three dimensions to get the tube consisting of the
edges of all circles of radius 2 parallel to the xy-plane and centered on this curve? You must include
bounds on all parameters used.
What would you do to plot a horn consisting of edges of all circles parallel to the yz-plane and
centered on this curve? You must include bounds on all parameters used.

11. Consider the ellipse

(x − 1)2 + ( y + 2)2 =1
9 16

a) Give parametric equations for the ellipse with a clockwise orientation.

b) Give parametric equations for the ellipse with a counterclockwise orientation.

c) Give parametric equations for the TOP HALF of the ellipse with a clockwise orientation.

12. The general parametric equations for an ellipse are x[t] = h + a Cos[t] and y[t] = k + b Sin[t]
DERIVE the xy-equation for this ellipse.

13. Give parametric equations for the line segment that starts at (3, 8) and ends at (-2, 4).
14. Give the xy-coordinates of the locations where the following parametric equations will have
horizontal or vertical tangents. Label what they are.
x[t ] = t 3 − 3t y[t ] = 3t 2 − 9

15. Find the tangent line(s) to the parametric curve given by x[t ] = t 5 − 4t 3 , y[t ] = t 2 at (0, 4)