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Lec 5

This document discusses polar coordinates. Polar coordinates represent a point (x,y) on a plane using a distance r from a fixed point (the pole or origin) and an angle θ from a reference direction. A point is written as the ordered pair (r, θ). Polar coordinates allow multiple representations of the same point. The connection between polar and Cartesian coordinates is shown using conversion formulas. Polar curves are graphs of equations relating r and θ, representing all points satisfying the equation. An example polar curve shown is the line θ = 1.

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60 views5 pages

Lec 5

This document discusses polar coordinates. Polar coordinates represent a point (x,y) on a plane using a distance r from a fixed point (the pole or origin) and an angle θ from a reference direction. A point is written as the ordered pair (r, θ). Polar coordinates allow multiple representations of the same point. The connection between polar and Cartesian coordinates is shown using conversion formulas. Polar curves are graphs of equations relating r and θ, representing all points satisfying the equation. An example polar curve shown is the line θ = 1.

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Hawraa Hawraa
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CHAPTER 10 POLAR COORDINATES

Polar Coordinates
DEFINITION: The polar coordinate system is a two-dimensional coordinate system in which each

Point P on a plane is determined by a distance r from a fixed point O that is called the pole (or origin)

and an angle ϴ from a fixed direction. The point P is represented by the ordered pair (r , ϴ) and r , ϴ are

called polar coordinates.

We extend the meaning of polar coordinates (r , ϴ ) to the case in which r is negative by agreeing

that the points (- r , ϴ ) and (r , ϴ ) lie in the same line through O and at the same distance |r | from O
but on opposite sides of O: If r >0 , the point (r , ϴ ) lies in the same quadrant as ϴ , if r <0; it lies in the

quadrant on the opposite side of the pole.

EXAMPLE: Plot the points whose polar coordinates are given:

(a) (1,5π/4) (b) (2,3π) (c) (2, 2π/3) (d) ( 3,3π/4)

Solution:

In the Cartesian coordinate system every point has only one representation, but in the polar

coordinate system each point has many representations. For instance, the point (1;5π/4) in the Example

above could be written as (1; 3π/4) or (1;13π/4) or ( 1; π/4):


CHAPTER 10 POLAR COORDINATES

EXAMPLE: Find all the polar coordinates of the point P(2; π/6):

Solution: We sketch the initial ray of the coordinate system, draw the ray from the origin that makes an

angle of π/6 radians with the initial ray, and mark the point (2; π/6): We then find the angles for the
other coordinate pairs of P in which r= 2 and r= -2:

For r= 2; the complete list of angles are

For r= -2; the angles are

The corresponding coordinate pairs of P are

When n= 0 ; the formulas give (2, π/6) and ( -2, -5π/6):When n= 1;they give (2,13 π/6) and ( -2,7 π/6);

and so on.

The connection between polar and Cartesian coordinates can be seen from the figure below and
described by the following formulas:
CHAPTER 10 POLAR COORDINATES

EXAMPLE:

(a) Convert the point (2; π/3) from polar to Cartesian coordinates.

(b) Represent the point with Cartesian coordinates (1;- 1) in terms of polar coordinates.

Solution:

(a) We have:

(b)

Therefore, the point is (1; 3) in Cartesian coordinates.

(b)If we choose r to be positive, then

EXAMPLE: Express the equation x= 1 in polar coordinates.

Solution: We use the formula x=r cosϴ:

EXAMPLE: Express the equation x2= 4y in polar coordinates.

Solution: We use the formulas x=rcosϴ and y=rsinϴ:


CHAPTER 10 POLAR COORDINATES

Polar Curves
The graph of a polar equation r=f(ϴ); or more generally F(r; ϴ) = 0; consists of all points P that

have at least one polar representation (r; ϴ) whose coordinates satisfy the equation.

EXAMPLE: Sketch the polar curve ϴ = 1:

Solution: This curve consists of all points (r; ϴ) such that the polar angle ϴ is 1 radian. It is the straight

line that passes through O and makes an angle of 1 radian with the polar axis. Notice that the points

(r;1) on the line with r > 0 are in the first quadrant, whereas those with r < 0 are in the third quadrant.
CHAPTER 10 POLAR COORDINATES

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