POLAR COORDINATES

There coordinates
are
many types of .

Sometimes it convenient
,
is to use a certain
type of
coordinates over others .

Coordinates
In
high school
,
we
study Cartesian :

^
Cartesian coordinates
-

M CK )
,
y
Y - - - - - - - - •

:
"
:
y
I

Sometimes
,
it is better to use polar coordinates instead
of
Cartesian coordinates ,
especially when
working
with

circular domains .

Yn Polar coordinates
-

M ( 4)
Definition
r
,
.
.

length of
.

r = 0M
y

{ ¢=( 5¥01 )
.
.

omit >
so

The
angle between
→
OTT and 0M
This picture illustrates the location
relation between
of the
point M in

polar coordinates and Cartesian Coordinates .

 Polar coordinates

- -

)
Example Plot the
point M ( 2
TI and NC 3
¥ )
-

, ,
.

Answer
Yn

OM = 2

-
•
M ( 2, }) ON =3
-

2- -

O -

g) %
)
-

HIE
'

'
so

i. 3
'

'

i
-

Ia )
.

i. N (3 -

Example If M has Cartesian coordinates MCI

,
i3 )

then M is
of polar coordinates MC ?
,
? ) ?

yn
Answer

M
Fs -

i
12+0532
'

{ to
r
.
r = = .
.

0*80
Ez
. >
=
.

I 7C
 Relation between Cartesian coordinates and
Polar coordinates

is coordinates
If M
of Cartesian (x
, y)
and

of polar coordinates Cr
,
lo ) then

we must have :

atty
"
r = Note

{ "

y
! I Ying
r is
always > o .

More
examples

Example 1 In
polar coordinates
,
M ( 3, IT ) and NC 3
,
-
TL ) .

Plot M and N .

Answer y
^

M O
•
>
N K

M and N are at exact same location .

Remark The points ( r

, of ) and ( r
, 4 -12kt ) are

exactly the same

point .
Here k is an
integer .
Example 2 Let M be
of Cartesian coordinates MCO
,
-2 ) .

Choose the correct statements :

a M has polar coordinates ( 2

,
31€ ) .

b M has polar coordinates ( 2

Iz )
-

, .

Answer Y n

Both a and b

are correct .

> x

• -