Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations

Parametric Curves
Mathematics 54Elementary Analysis 2

Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations

What are parametric equations?

Consider a particle moving along the curve below

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations

What are parametric equations?

The curve cannot be expressed as the graph of an equation of the form

y = f (x).

Sometimes, its impossible to find an equation relating the x and

ycoordinates of the particle.

But we can express the x and the ycomponent of the particles position
as functions of time t, i.e.
x = x(t)
y = y(t)

In this process, we say that we are parametrizing the curve above.

The equations defining x and y as functions of t are called parametric

equations, and t is called a parameter.

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Parametric Curves

Example
Sketch the curve defined by C : x = t, y = t 2 , where t R.

t (x, y)
2 (2, 4)
1 (1, 1)
0 (0, 0)
1 (1, 1)
2 (2, 4)
3 (3, 9)

Indeed, if we relate x and y directly by eliminating t, we have y = x2 .

We have just obtained a cartesian equivalent of the parametric curve.

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Parametric Curves

Example
Sketch the curve defined by x = cos t and y = sin t, where 0 t 2.

t (x, y)
0 (1,
p p
0)
2 2
4 ( 2 , 2 )

2 (0, 1)
(1, 0)
3
2 (0, 1)
2 (1, 0)

Indeed, if we relate x and y directly, eliminating t, we have x2 + y 2 = 1.

The direction of trace is known as the direction of increasing parameter.
In this case, its counterclockwise.
The point corresponding to t = 0 is the initial point.
The point corresponding to t = 2 is the terminal point.
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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Parametric Curves

Remark
The function y = f (x) can be parametrized as

x = t
y = f (t)

Example
Parametrize the line connecting the points (0, 1) and (3, 7).

Using the two-point form of a line,

71
y1 = (x 0) y = 2x + 1
30
Hence, we can parametrize the line as

x = t
y = 2t + 1

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Examples
Parametrization of circles...

x = sin t
y = cos t x = 2 cos t
0 t 2 y = 2 sin t
0 t 2

counterclockwise circle of
clockwise circle radius 2 units
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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Examples

x = h + r cos t
y = k + r sin t x = cos 2t
0 t 2 y = sin 2t
0t

circle of radius r centered at

(h, k) faster circle...

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Interesting Examples

x = sin 2t 1
x = cos t + 0.5 cos 7t + sin 17t
3
y = sin 3t
1
y = sin t + 0.5 sin 7t + cos 17t
3
0 t 2

Lissajous curves
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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Examples
Consider the curve
defined by

x = sec t

y = tan t

<t < .
2 2

Note that

x2 = sec2 t

y 2 = tan2 t
Thus,

x2 y 2 = 1

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Exercises

1 Describe the curve given by the parametric equations x = 2 cos t and

y = 3 sin t.

2 Given A(2, 0) and B(1, 1). Give a parametrization for

1 the line containg A and B.
2 the line segment connecting A and B.

3 What can be said about the parametric equations x = cos t, y = sin t

and x = cos 2t, y = sin 2t?

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Slope of Parametric Curves

Smooth Curve
A parametric curve C : x = f (t), y = g(t) is said to be smooth if f and g are
differentiable and no value of t satisfies f 0 (t) = g 0 (t) = 0.

dy
If C is a smooth curve, then its slope dx is given by

dy
dy
= dt
dx dx
dt
d2 y
Also, the concavity dx2
is given by

dy
d dx
d2 y dt y 00 (t)
= 6=
dx2 dx x00 (t)
dt
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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Tangent Lines to Parametric Curves

Example
Find the equation of the tangent line to the right branch p of the hyperbola
x = sec t, y = tan t, where 2 < t < 2 , at the point ( 2, 1).
p
Solution: Note that the point ( 2, 1) corresponds to t = 4 . Thus,

dy dy/dt sec2 t
= = = csc t
dx dx/dt sec t tan t

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Concavity
Example
d2 y
Find dx2
if x = t t 2 , y = t t 3 .

dy 1 3t 2
Solution: =
dx 1 2t
Thus,
13t 2

d 12t (12t)(6t)(13t 2 )(2)
d2 y dt (12t)2
= =
dx2 dx 1 2t
dt
2
6t 6t + 2
=
(1 2t)3
1 1
t< 2 t> 2

Caution
d2 y
dt 2 6t d2 y
d2 x
= 2 = 3t6= dx2
.
dt 2
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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Length of a Parametric Curve

Length of Arc
Let C : x = x(t), y = y(t), a t b, be a smooth curve traced exactly once.
Then the length of C is given by
s
b 2 2
dx dy
Z
L= + dt
a dt dt

Proof. The length of arc of the smooth curve y = F(x), from t = a to t = b, is

given by s
Z b 2
dy
L= 1+ dx.
a dx
Using differentials, we transform the integrand such that
v
s
2
u
u dy !2 s
2 2
dy dx dx dy

u dt
1+ dx = t1 + dx dt = + dt.
dx dt dt dt
dt

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Arc Length

Example
Find the
length of
the astroid Z /4 q
L = 8 (3 cos2 t sin t)2 + (3 sin2 t cos t)2 dt
x = cos3 t 0
Z /4
y = sin t 3 = 8 3 cos t sin t dt
0
Z /4
0 t 2
= 12 sin 2t dt
0
/4
= 6 cos 2t

0
= 6

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Arc Length

Example
Set-up the necessary definite integral that will solve the following.
1 Perimeter of the circle x = 4 cos t, y = 4 sin t.
2 Perimeter of the ellipse x = 2 + 9 cos t, y = 1 4 sin t.
3 Arclength of the curve x = 4et , y = 5 t 2 , with t [1, 3].

Solution:
Z 2 p
1 (4 sin t)2 + (4 cos t)2 dt
0
Z 2 p
2 (9 sin t)2 + (4 cos t)2 dt
0
Z 3p
3 16e2t + 4t 2 dt
1

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 Introduction Parametric Equations Calculus of Parametric Equations Exercises

Exercises

1 Find the slope of the curve with parametric equations

1
x = 2 , y = t 3 5t at the point (1, 4).
t
2 Find the concavity of the curve x = t 2 4t, y = 5t 3 + t 3 when t = 2.
3 Set-up the necessary definite integral that will solve the following.
1 Perimeter of the hypocycloid

x = 2 cos t 3 cos 2t
3
y = 2 sin t + 3 sin 2t
3

with t [0, 2].

2 Arclength of the curve y = x3 from (1, 1) to (2, 8).

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