APSC173 Assignment #6: Parametric equations & polar coordinates

Due date: midnight on Friday, April 13th, 2024

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Exercises
1. (parametric curves) Find Cartesian equations for the following curves as y = f (x)
√
i. x = t, y = 1 − t2 , −1 ≤ t ≤ 0
Solution: Trivially,
p
y= 1 − x2 , −1 ≤ x ≤ 0

ii. x = − sec t, y = tan t, −π/2 ≤ t ≤ π/2 (Hint: Use a reference triangle)

Solution: Using a reference triangle (similar to trigonometric substitution),
p
y = ± x2 − 1, x ≤ −1

2. (parametric curves) Find a parametric equation for the following curve using θ as the parameter and (0, 0) as the
terminal point:

1
Solution: Using trigonometry,
√
x
tan θ = ⇒ x = cot2 θ
x
y
tan θ = 2 ⇒ y = cot θ
y

where 0 ≤ θ ≤ π/2.

3. (parametric curves) Graph the parametric equations x = −2 cos(t) + cos(−2t), y = −2 sin(t) − sin(−2t), t ∈ [0,
2π]. (Hint: Create table of values of x and y for t = 0, π , 2π , 3π , .6. . ,62π).
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Solution: The table below shows the values of x and y
t x y
0 −1 0
π/6 −1.2321 −0.134
2π/6 −1.5 −0.866
3π/6 −1 −2
4π/6 0.5 −2.5981
5π/6 2.2321 −1.866
π 3 0
7π/6 2.2321 1.866
8π/ 0.5 2.5981
9π/6 −1 2
10π/6 −1.5 0.866
11π/6 −1.2321 0.134
2π −1 0
Then, plotting the (x, y) pairs and joining them with a smooth curve leads to the following graph

5. (calculus with parametric curves) For the following curves, find an equation for the line tangent to the curve
at the point defined by the given value of t. Also find d2 y/dx2 at that point.
i. x = 2t2 + 3 y = t4 , t = −1
Solution: The slope of the tangent is

dy dy/dt 4t3
= = =1
dx t=−1 dx/dt t=−1 4t t=−1

When t = −1, (x, y) = (5, 1). Therefore, the equation of the tangent line is

T (x) = x − 4

2
The second derivative at that point is

d2 y dy 0 /dt 2t 1
= = =
dx2 t=−1 dx/dt t=−1 4t t=−1 2

ii. x = 1/t y = −2 + ln t, t=1

Solution: The slope of the tangent is

dy dy/dt 1/t
= = = −1
dx t=1 dx/dt t=1 −1/t2 t=1

When t = 1, (x, y) = (1, −2). Therefore, the equation of the tangent line is

T (x) = −x − 1

The second derivative at that point is

d2 y dy 0 /dt −1
= = =1
dx2 t=1 dx/dt t=1 −1/t2 t=1

5. (Areas and Lengths)

i. Find the area enclosed by the x-axis and the curve x = 1 + e−t , y = t2 for x ∈ [1, 2].
R2 −t
Solution: The area is A = 1 ydx. Since dx dt = −e , and since x = 1 when t = ∞ and x = 2 when t = 0, then
R0 2 ∞
−t
the area can be written as A = ∞ t (−e )dt = 0 t2 e−t dt. Note that
R

Z b Z b
t2 e−t dt = −t2 e−t |b0 + 2te−t dt
0 0
Z b
= −t2 e−t |b0 − 2te−t |b0 + 2e−t dt
0
= −t2 e−t |b0 − 2te−t |b0 − 2e−t |b0
= −t2 e−t |b0 − 2te−t |b0 − 2e−t |b0

where we used integration by parts twice. Taking the limit as b → ∞ yields A = 2.

√
ii. Find the length of the curve x = t3 , y = 3t2 /2 for 0 ≤ t ≤ 3.
dx 2 dy
Solution: We have dt = 3t and dt = 3t. Thus,
√
Z 3 p
L= 9t4 + 9t2 dt
0
√
Z 3 p
= 3t t2 + 1dt
0
√
Z 3
3 p
= 2t t2 + 1dt
2 0
3 4√
Z
= udu
2 1
√
= u3 |41
= 7.

3
 iii. Find the surface area of the cone generated by revolving the parametric curve x = ht, y = rt, t ∈ [0, 1], about
the x-axis.
dy
R1 √ √
Solution: We have that dx 2 2 2
dt = h and dt = r. Thus S = 0 2πrt h + r dt = πr h + r .
2

6.. (Polar Coordinate

i. Plot the points described by the following polar coordinates, then find all the polar coordinates of each point:
(3, π4 ), (−3, π4 ), (3, − π4 ), (−3, − π4 ).
Solution:

π π π
(3,) = (3, + 2nπ) = (−3, + π + 2nπ), n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
4 4 4
π π π
(−3, ) = (−3, + 2nπ) = (3, + π + 2nπ), n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
4 4 4
π π π
(3, − ) = (3, − + 2nπ) = (−3, − + π + 2nπ), n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
4 4 4
π π π
(−3, − ) = (−3, − + 2nπ) = (3, − + π + 2nπ), n = 0, ±1, ±2, . . .
4 4 4

ii. Find the Cartesian coordinates of (2, − π3 ).

Solution: (1, − 3)

iii. Find the polar coordinates of (−3, 0) with r ≥ 0 and θ ∈ [0, 2π).
Solution: (3, π) and (−3, 0).
√
i v. Find the polar coordinates of (− 3, 1) with r ≥ 0 and θ ∈ [−π, π).
Solution: (2, 2π π
3 ) and (−2, − 3 ).

v. Replace the polar equation r = −3 sec(θ) with an equivalent Cartesian equation.

3
Solution: r = −3 sec(θ) = − cos(θ) implies that r cos(θ) = −3 and hence x = −3.

vi. Replace the Cartesian equation x2 + xy + y2 = 1 with an equivalent polar equation.

Solution:

x2 + xy + y 2 = 1
⇒ r2 cos2 (θ) + r2 cos(θ) sin(θ) + r2 sin2 (θ) = 1
⇒ r2 + r2 cos(θ) sin(θ) = 1
⇒ r2 (1 + cos(θ) sin(θ)) = 1