Intro to Polar Coordinates

Lesson 6.5A

Points on a Plane

Rectangular coordinate system

Represent

a point by two distances from the

origin
Horizontal dist, Vertical dist

(x, y)

Also possible to represent different ways

Consider using dist from origin, angle
formed with positive x-axis (r, )

Plot Given Polar Coordinates

Locate the following

A 2,
4

2
B 4,
3

3
C 3,
2

5
D 1,
4

Find Polar Coordinates

What are the coordinates for the given

points?
B

A
D

A=
B=
C=
D=
4

Converting Polar to Rectangular

Given polar coordinates (r, )

Change

to rectangular
r

By trigonometry
= r cos
y = r sin

Try A 2,
4

( ___, ___ )
5

Converting Rectangular to Polar

Given a point (x, y)

Convert to (r, )

tan

By trigonometry

Try this one for (2, 1)

r = ______
= ______

By Pythagorean theorem
r2 = x2 + y2

y
x

Polar Equations

States a relationship between all the

points (r, ) that satisfy the equation
Example
r = 4 sin
Resulting

values
Note:
Note:for
for(r,
(r,)
)

in
degrees

nd
ItItisis (the
(the 22nd element
element
that
that isisthe
the independent
independent
variable
variable

Graphing Polar Equations

Set Mode on TI calculator

Mode,

then Graph => Polar

Note difference of Y= screen

8

Graphing Polar Equations

Also best to keep

angles in radians

Enter function in
Y= screen

Graphing Polar Equations

Set Zoom to
Standard,

then

Square

10

Try These!

For r = A cos B
Try

to determine what affect A and B have

r = 3 sin 2
r = 4 cos 3
r = 2 + 5 sin 4

Experiment
Experiment with
with
Polar
Polar Function
Function
Spreadsheet
Spreadsheet

11

Assignment A

Lesson 6.5A
Page 424
Exercises 1 47 odd

12

Polar Coordinates
Lesson 6.5B

Write Polar Equation in Rectangular

Form

Given r = 2 sin
Write

as rectangular
equation

Use definitions
And

identities
(see inside back cover)

xxrrcos
cos
yyrrsin
sin
yy
11
tan
tan
xx
rr22 xx22 yy22

Graph the given equation for clues

14

Write Polar Equation in Rectangular

Form

Given r = 2 sin
We

know

Thus
And

r
y
sin
2
r
2
r 2y
x2 y2 2 y

15

Write Rectangular Equation in Polar

Form

Consider 2x 3y = 6
As

before, use
definitions

2 r cos 3 r sin 6

xxrrcos
cos
yyrrsin
sin
yy
11
tan
tan
xx
rr22 xx22 yy22

r 2 cos 3sin 6
6
r
2 cos 3sin
16

Assignment B

Lesson 6.5B
Page 424
Exercises 49 73 odd

17