7-7-2013

Parametric Equations of Curves

A pair of equations
x = f (t),

y = g(t),

atb

are parametric equations for a curve. You graph the curve by plugging values of t into x and y, then
plotting the points as usual.

Example. The parametric equations

x = cos t,

y = sin t,

0 t 2

represent a circle of radius 1 centered at the origin.

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You can sometimes recover the x-y equation of a parametric curve by eliminating t from the parametric
equations. In this case,
x2 + y 2 = (cos t)2 + (sin t)2 = 1.
Notice that the graph of a circle is not the graph of a function. Parametric equations can represent
more general curves than function graphs can.

Example. The parametric equations

x = t cos t,

y = t sin t,

represent a spiral.
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This is not the graph of a function y = f (x).

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Example. Find the x-y equation for

x = 5 + 2 cos t,
Notice that
cos t =
So


x5
2

2

y = 3 + sin t.

x5
,
2

sin t = y + 3.

+ (y + 3)2 = (cos t)2 + (sin t)2 = 1.

This is the standard form for the equation of an ellipse.

Example. The parametric equations

x = 3 cos t + cos 3t,

y = 3 sin t sin 3t,

0 t 2

represent a hypocycloid of four cusps.

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In this case, it would be difficult to eliminate t to obtain an x-y equation.

Example. To parametrize a curve means to obtain parametric equations for the curve.
If you have x-y equations in which x or y is solved for, its easy. For example, to parametrize y = x2 ,
set x = t. Then y = x2 = t2 . A parametrization is given by
y = t2 .

x = t,

There are infinitely many ways to parametrize a curve. For example,

x = t + 42,

y = (t + 42)2 ,

is another parametrization of y = x2 .
To parametrize x = 3y y 2 , set y = t. Then x = 3y y 2 = 3t t2 , so
x = 3t t2 ,

y=t

is a parametrization of x = 3y y 2 . (This is how you can graph x-in-terms-of-y equations on your calculator.)

Example. If (a, b) and (c, d) are points, the segment from (a, b) to (c, d) may be parametrized by
x = a + t(c a),

y = b + t(d b),

0 t 1.

Notice that when t = 0, (x, y) = (a, b), and when t = 1, (x, y) = (c, d).
If you allow t to range from to +, this gives the line through (a, b) and (c, d).
For example, the line through (3, 6) and (5, 2) is
x = 3 + 2t,

y = 6 + 8t.

An analogous result holds for lines in 3 dimensions (or in any number of dimensions).

Example. Find parametric equations for the Folium of Descartes:

x3 + y 3 = 3xy.
Set y = xt. Then
x3 + x3 t3 = 3x2 t,

Therefore, y = xt =

x + xt3 = 3t,

x(1 + t3 ) = 3t,

x=

3t
.
1 + t3

3t2
. A parametrization is given by
1 + t3
x=

3t
,
1 + t3

y=

3t2
.
1 + t3

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The first and second derivatives give information about the shape of a curve. Heres how to find the
derivatives for a parametric curve.
First,
dx dy
dy

=
,
dt dx
dt
by the Chain Rule. Solving for

dy
gives
dx

dy
dy
= dt .
dx
dx
dt
3

To find the second derivative, I differentiate the first derivative.

d2 y
d
=
dx2
dx

dy
dx

dy
dy
Since
will come out in terms of t, I want to be sure to differentiate
with respect to t. Use the
dx
dx
Chain Rule again:
 
d dy
 
  
dt
d dy
d dy
dt dx
.
=
=

dx
dx dx
dx dt dx
dt
That is,
d2 y
=
dx2

Example. Find

dy
d2 y
for
and
dx
dx2

d
dt

x = t2 + t + 2,


dy
dx
.
dx
dt

y = 2t3 t + 5.

First,
dy
= 6t2 1.
dt

dx
= 2t + 1,
dt
So

dy
6t2 1
dy
= dt =
.
dx
dx
2t + 1
dt

Next,

So
2

d y
=
dx2

d
dt

(2t + 1)(12t) (6t2 1)(2)

(2t + 1)(12t) (6t2 1)(2)
(2t + 1)2
.
=
=
2t + 1
(2t + 1)3

dy
dx
dx
dt

dy
dx

d 6t2 1
(2t + 1)(12t) (6t2 1)(2)
.
=
dt 2t + 1
(2t + 1)2

d
dt

Example. At what points on the curve

x = t3 + t + 2,

y = 2t3 3t2 12t + 5

is the tangent line horizontal?

Find the derivative:

dy
6t2 6t 12
6(t 2)(t + 1)
=
=
.
dx
3t2 + 1
3t2 + 1

dy
= 0 for t = 2 and for t = 1.
dx
4

When t = 2, x = 12 and y = 15. When t = 1, x = 0 and y = 12. There are horizontal tangents are
(12, 15) and at (0, 12).
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Example. Find the equation of the tangent line to the curve

x = et + t2 ,

y = e2t + 3t

at the point corresponding to t = 1.

2e2t + 3
dy
= t
,
dx
e + 2t

so


dy 
2e2 + 3
.
=

dx t=1
e+2

When t = 1, x = e + 1 and y = e2 + 3. The tangent line is

2

y (e + 3) =

c 2013 by Bruce Ikenaga

2e2 + 3
e+2

(x (e + 1)).