B.M.S.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU – 560 019

Autonomous college, affiliated to VTU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS

Course: Mathematical Foundation for Computer Science Stream-1 (23MA1BSMCS)

Mathematical Foundation for Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engg. Stream-(23MA1BSMES)

Polar Curves:
Angle between radius vector and tangent:

If r = f ( ) , then the angle between radius vector and tangent is

given by:
d
tan  = r
dr

1. If  be the angle between radius vector and the tangent at any point of the curve 𝑟 = 𝑓(𝜃)
d
then prove that tan ( ) = r .
dr

2. Find the angle between the radius vector and the tangent for the following polar curves.

a) r = a (1 + cos ) Ans:  + 
2 2

b) r 2 = a 2 sin 2  Ans:  = 
1 + e cos 
Ans:  = tan −1 
l
c) = 1 + e cos  
r  e sin  
d) r m cos m = a m Ans:  − m
2

3. Find the angle between the radius vector and the tangent for the following polar curves. And
also find slope of the tangent at the given point.

2a 2
a) = 1 − cos  at  = 2 3 Ans:  = , tan = 3
r 3

b) r cos2 ( 2) = a2 at  = 2 3 Ans:  =
6
 
c) r 2 cos ( 2 ) = a Ans:  = − 2 ;  = −
2 2

Unit-1 Calculus of one variable Page 1 of 6

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU – 560 019
Autonomous college, affiliated to VTU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
Angle between curves:

Angle of intersection of two polar curves = angle of intersection

of their tangents denoted by  where
 = 2 − 1 or tan  = tan 1 − tan 2
1 + tan 1 tan 2

1. Find the angle of intersection for the following pairs of curves:

a) 𝑟 = sin 𝜃 + cos 𝜃 , 𝑟 = 2 sin 𝜃 Ans: 

4
b) r sin 2 = 4 and r = 16sin 2
2 2
Ans:  3
c) r = a and r = 2a cos Ans:  3

Ans: tan −1  
a 2e
d) r = and r = a log  2 
log   1 − e 
a a
e) r= and r = Ans: tan −1 3
1+ 1+ 2
f) r = a and r = 2a cos Ans:  3

g) r = 3cos( ) and r = 1 + cos( ) Ans:
6

2. Show that the following pairs of curves intersect each other orthogonally:

a) r = a (1 + cos ) and r = b (1 − cos )

b) r = a cos and r = a sin 
c) r = 4sec2 ( 2) and r = 9cosec2 ( 2)
d) r n = an cos ( n ) and r n = bn sin ( n )
e) r 2 sin 2 = a2 and r 2 cos 2 = b2
f) r = ae and re = b
g) 2a = 1 + cos  and 2b = 1 − cos 
r r
a
h) r = a and r =

Length of the perpendicular from the pole to the tangent to the polar curve:
If p denotes the length of the perpendicular from the pole to the tangent of the polar curve
2
r = f ( ) , then p = r sin  and 2 = 2 + 4 
1 1 1 dr  , where  is the angle between the

p r r  d 
radius vector and the tangent.

Unit-1 Calculus of one variable Page 2 of 6

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU – 560 019
Autonomous college, affiliated to VTU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
Pedal Equation:
If 𝑟 be the radius vector at any point on a polar curve and 𝑝 be the length of the perpendicular
from the pole to the tangent at that point then the relation between 𝑟 and 𝑝 is called the pedal
equation of the curve.
2
The pedal equation is obtained by using the equations 𝑟 = 𝑓(𝜃), p = r sin  or 1 1 1  dr 
= +  
p 2 r 2 r 4  d 

1. Find the pedal equation of the following curves:

a) r = ae cot  Ans: p = r sin 

b) r (1 − cos ) = 2a Ans: p2 = ar
c) r m cos ( m ) = am Ans: pr m−1 = am
2
l
d) = 1 + e cos  Ans: 12 = e 2-1 + 2
r p l lr
√𝑟 2 −𝑎 2 𝑎
e) 𝜃 = 𝑎
− cos −1 ( 𝑟 ) Ans: p2 = r 2 − a2
r m+1
f) r ( cos ( m ) + sin ( m )) = a
m m
Ans: p =
2a m
3
2
r
g) r = a (1 − cos ) Ans: p =
2a
3
2
r
h) r = a (1 + cos ) Ans: p =
2a
2
r
i) r 2 = a 2 cos 2 Ans: p =
a
j) r 2 = a 2 sec 2 Ans: pr = a2
k) 2a
= (1 − cos  ) Ans: p = ar
r
l) r = a sec2 ( 2) Ans: p = ar
Curvature and Radius of Curvature

d 1
Curvature:  = , Radius of curvature:  = ;   0.
ds 
(1 + y )
3
2 2
1 dy d2y
Cartesian form: Radius of curvature: = , where y1 = and y2 = 2
y2 dx dx
3
1 + x12  2
dx d 2x
If y1 →  then = 
, where x1 = and x2 = 2
x2 dy dy

Unit-1 Calculus of one variable Page 3 of 6

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU – 560 019
Autonomous college, affiliated to VTU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
Find the radius of curvature for the following curves:

a. The Folium: x + y = 3axy at the point 3a , 3a

3 3
( 2 2 ) Ans: 3𝑎⁄
8√2
b. Catenary: y = c cosh x ( c ) at ( 0, c ) Ans: 𝑐 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 (𝑥⁄𝑐 )
a2 ( a − x )
c. y2 = at ( a,0) Ans: a
x 2
a a a
d. x + y = a at  ,  Ans:
4 4 2

y = 4sin x − sin ( 2x ) at x = 
5 5
e. Ans:
2 4
x2 y 2
f. + = 1 at ( a,0 ) and ( 0, b )
a 2 b2
2. If  be the radius of curvature at any point 𝑃 on the parabola 𝑦 2 = 4𝑎𝑥 and S be its focus
then show that 𝜌2 varies as 𝑆𝑃3 .
2 2
 x   y   2 
2
ax 3
3. If  is the radius of curvature for y = then prove that   +   =  
a+x  y  x  a 

(r + r12 )
2 32
dr d 2r
Polar form: Radius of curvature:  = ; where r1 = and r2 = 2
r 2 + 2r12 − rr2 d d
dr
Pedal form: Radius of curvature:  = r
dp

2
1. For the cardioid r = a (1 + cos ) , show that is constant.
r
2. If 1 and 2 are the radii of curvature at the extremities of a chord through the pole for the

16a 2
polar curve r = a (1 + cos ) , prove that 12 +  22 = .
9

3. Show that for the curve r (1 − cos ) = 2a ,  2 varies as r .

3

4. Find the radius of curvature at the point ( r, ) for the curve r n = a n sin n .

5. Find the radius of curvature for the curve r 2 = a2 cos 2 at the point ( r, ) .

Unit-1 Calculus of one variable Page 4 of 6

 B.M.S. COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU – 560 019
Autonomous college, affiliated to VTU
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
l
6. Find the radius of curvature for the curve = 1 + e cos  at any point ( r, ) .
r
7. Write the p − r equation of the polar curve r n = an sin n and find the radius of curvature
of the curve.
 cot 
8. Find the radius of curvature at the point ( r, ) for the curve r = ae .

9. Find the radius of curvature at the point ( r, ) for the curve r = a cos m .
m m

10. Show that at the point where the curve r = a and intersects the curve r = a /  their
curvatures are in the ratio 3:1.

Parametric form:

( x12 + y12 )
3/2
dx dy d 2x d2y
Radius of curvature:  = ; where x1 = ; y1 = , x2 = 2 , y2 = 2
x1 y2 − x2 y1 dt dt dt dt

Find the radius of curvature for the following curves:

−t −t
1. x = e + e ; y = e − e at t = 0
t t

a cos(t ) a sin(t )
2. x = ; y=
t t
3. x = a ln (sec t + tan t ) ; y = a sec t
4. x = 1 − t 2 ; y = t − t 3; at t = 1
5. x = 2t 2 − t 4 ; y = 4t 3 at t = 1
 3
6. x = a  t − t  ; y = at 2
  3

7. x = ln(t ); y =
1
2
(t + t −1 )
8. x = a (t + sin t ) ; y = a (1 − cos t ) at t = 
9. x = a cos t; y = a sin t
10. x = a cos3 t; y = a sin3 t

11. x = 6t − 3t ; y = 8t
2 4 3

Unit-1 Calculus of one variable Page 5 of 6