5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Def: An assignment of order pair of the form r , to a point in
a plane will be referred to as polar coordinates.
To define polar coordinates fix an origin O (called pole) and
initial ray from O major axis (polar axis) then each point P is
referred to as polar coordinates
r ,

Polar axis

EX: Plot the following points

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University of Sharjah

5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Sol:

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University of Sharjah

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
EX: Plot the following points

1. P 2, ,
6

7
2. P 2,
6

3. P 2, ,
6

5
5. P 1, ,
4

4. P 2,3 ,
2
6. P 2,
3

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University of Sharjah

5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Theorem: The rectangular (Cartesian) coordinates (x,y) and
the polar coordinates r , of a point P are related by the
following equation
x
r
y
sin
r

cos

x r cos
y r sin

r x2 y 2

r 2 x2 y 2

y
x

tan 1
x

tan

y

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Sharjah University

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Ex: Find an equation in (x,y) plane that has the same graph
as polar equation
1. r cos 2
x2
2. r 2 cos sin 4 r cos r sin 4 xy 4
3. r 2 cos 2 r 2 sin 2 1 x 2 y 2 1
2

4. r tan x 2 y 2

y
y2
y
x2 y 2 2
x
x
x

Ex: Find the polar equation that has the same graph as polar
equation in (x,y)

1. x 2 y 2 16 r 2 16 r 4
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PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
y
2. x 2 y 2 tan 1 ay r 2 ar sin
x
3. x 2 8 y r 2 cos 2 8r sin
Remark:
1. The graph of any function in polar coordinates is defined
as r f
2. The graph of r f is symmetric with respect to x-axis
r ,
if f f
f ,
r ,
f ,

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PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
3. The graph of r f is symmetric with respect to y-axis if
the point r , lies on the graph then the point r , lies
on the graph.
r ,

r ,

4. The graph of r f is symmetric about the origin if the

point r , lies on the graph, then the point r , lies on
r ,
the graph.

r ,
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5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Polar curves: The graph of a polar equation r f (or more
generally F r , 0 consist all points P that have at least
one polar representation r , whose coordinates satisfy the
equation.
Some simple graphs in polar coordinates
Ex: Sketch the graphs of
(1) r 2
We have 2 r x 2 y 2 which is the equation of
circle of radius 2.
(2)

This define a line

4
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PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Limaons
are graphs defined by
constants a and b.

or

for

Rose curves
are graphs defined by r a sin n or r a cos n for integers a
and n greater than 1. where a is the distance from the tip of
the petal to the pole.
We will sketch limaons and rose curves in the next few
examples.
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University of Sharjah

5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Ex:
Sol: Use the graph of y = cos x in
rectangular coordinates on the interval
[0, 2] as a reference.

We show how the sketch progresses through each Prepared by Dr. F.G.A
University of Sharjah
interval indicated in the table in the next slides:

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES

Then

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University of Sharjah

5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES

Then

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University of Sharjah

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Ex:
Rose curves r a sin n , r a cos n
Remark:
1. If n is an odd integer then the number of loops is n (for
example cos3 got 3 loops).
2. If n is an even integer number then the number of loops is
2n (for example sin 2 got 4 loops).
Ex:
Sol:
We begin by sketching the graph
of y = sin 2x in rectangular
coordinates on the interval [0, 2].
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PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES

We show how the sketch

progresses through each
interval indicated in the
table in the next slides:

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University of Sharjah

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
First Loop

Then

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University of Sharjah

5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Second loop
It is clear that the angle 3 4 falls in the
second quadrant in the xy-plane. Since r is
a negative sign, the point is reflected in the
fourth quadrant (symmetric about the origin).
Then

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University of Sharjah

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Third loop

Then

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University of Sharjah

5/8/2015

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Fourth loop

symmetric about the origin

Then

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University of Sharjah

PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS AND

POLAR COORDINATES
9.4: POLAR COORDINATES
Ex: Sketch the graph of polar equation r cos3

Ex: The graphs of r cos n

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University of Sharjah

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