Handout#3 PARAMETRIC CURVES (Ref. Single Variable Calculus 4thed, by J. Stewart, pp.

674-691
)PLANE CURVES and PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS

Definition. If 𝑓 and 𝑔 are continuous functions of 𝑡 on an interval 𝐼 , then the equations

𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑡) and 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑡) (∗)

are called parametric equations and 𝑡 is called the parameter. The set of points (𝑥, 𝑦) obtained as 𝑡 varies over the
interval 𝐼 is called the graph of the parametric equations. Taken together, the parametric equations and the graph are
called a plane curve denoted by C.

In general, the curve with parametric equations 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑡) , 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑡) , 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏 has initial point (𝑓(𝑎), 𝑔(𝑎)) and
terminal point (𝑓(𝑏), 𝑔(𝑏)).

If the parameter 𝑡 is eliminated from the pair of equations (∗) , an equation in 𝑥 and 𝑦 called a cartesian equation of
C is obtained.

Watch this! (33:28) https://youtu.be/97pe-QlSGqA

Exercise I

1. Sketch the curve described by the parametric equations 𝑥 = 𝑡 2 − 4 and 𝑦 = 𝑡 + 1 , −3 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3 .

2. Find a cartesian equation for the given parametric equations:

a) 𝑥 = 𝑡 2 − 4 and 𝑦 = 𝑡 + 1
b) 𝑥 = 2 cos 𝑡 and 𝑦 = 2 sin 𝑡 , 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋

SLOPES of TANGENT LINES of PLANE CURVES defined by PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS

Watch!! (13:55) https://youtu.be/vcZPjuG8GrM

If a plane curve 𝐶 is given by the equations 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑡) and 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑡) , then the slope of 𝐶 at (𝑥, 𝑦) is
𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑥
= , ≠0
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑡
Exercise II. Given the curve with parametric equations, find the slope and the equation of the tangent line at the indicated
point:
1
a) 𝑥 = √𝑡 and 𝑦 = 4 (𝑡 2 − 4) , 𝑡 > 0 , at the point (2,3)
b) 𝑥 = 𝑡 2 and 𝑦 = 𝑡 3 − 3𝑡 , at the point (3,0)

ARC LENGTH OF PLANE CURVES defined by PARAMETRIC EQUATIONS

Watch (12:33) https://youtu.be/X8N21DrWmjU

If 𝐹’ is continuous on [𝑎, 𝑏], then the length of the curve C described by 𝑦 = 𝐹(𝑥), 𝑎 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑏, is

𝑏
𝐿 = ∫𝑎 √1 + [𝐹 ′ (𝑥)]2 𝑑𝑥

If a curve C is described by the parametric equations 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑡) , 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑡) , 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏 where 𝑓’ and 𝑔’ are
continuous on [𝑎, 𝑏] and C is traversed exactly once as 𝑡 increases from 𝑎 to 𝑏, then the length of C is

𝒃 𝒅𝒙 𝒅𝒚𝟐 𝟐
𝑳 = ∫𝒂 √( ) + ( )
𝒅𝒕 𝒅𝒕

Exercise III. Find the length of the curve a) 𝑥 = 𝑡 3 𝑦 = 𝑡2 0≤𝑡≤4

b) 𝑥 = cos 𝑡 𝑦 = sin 𝑡 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋
c) 𝑥 = sin 2𝑡 𝑦 = cos 2𝑡 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋