Problem: Show that the area of the rose curve r = a sin(n) does not

depend on the value of n.

Solution:
Since the number of petals of the rose curve depends on the number n (that
being there r will be an n petaled rose curve if n is odd and a 2n petaled
rose curve if n is even (if the reader wants to confirm this for themselves they
should visit http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/PolarCoordinates/
and test the number of petals for different values of n)) we must investigate the
area of the rose curve in two cases: the first for even n and the second for odd
n.

CASE 1: n is even. Therefore there are 2n petals spaced out over 2

radians making one petal over each

n.

mapped from = 0 to =
= 0 to =

radians. Since r(0) = 0 the first petal is

Finding the area of the petal produced by r from

produces the integral:

Area =

a2
2

1
2

r2 d =

1
2

a2 sin2 (n)d =



1
a2
a2
sin(2n)  n
=
(1 cos(2n))d =


2
4
2n
4 n
0

If this is the area of the first of 2n petals then the total area of the rose curve
is...
a2
a2
=
4 n
2
So the area is half the area of circle of radius a. Let us now investigate the
Area = 2n

case when n is odd.

CASE 2: n is odd. Therefore there are n petals spaced out over 2 radians
making one petal over each
from = 0 to =
to =

2
n

2
n .

2
n

radians. Since r(0) = 0 the first petal is mapped

Finding the area of the petal produced by r from = 0

produces the integral:

Area =

1
2

Z
0

2
n

r2 d =

1
2

Z
0

2
n

a2 sin2 (n)d =

a2
2

Z
0

2
n



1
a2
sin(2n)  n
a2 2
(1 cos(2n))d =

=

2
4
2n
4 n
0

If this is the area of the first of n petals then the total area of the rose curve
is...
Area = n
Again we get the same Area

a2
2 .

does not depend on the value of n.

a2 2
a2
=
4 n
2

So the area of the rose curve r = a sin(n)