Calc BC Parametric & Vector Calculus 9A

A parametric equation defines a group of quantities as functions of an independent variable called the
parameter. A set of parametric equations have a horizontal equation and vertical equation. As a result,
parametric equations fit very well with vectors.

Without a calculator, sketch the curve, indicating the direction of your graph. Then eliminate the parameter to
find the rectangular version of the graph.

1) 𝑥 = 𝑡 − 4, 𝑦 = , −2 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 3 2) 𝑠(𝑡) = 〈3 cos 𝑡 , 4 sin 𝑡〉

If a smooth curve is given by the equations: 𝑥 = 𝑓(𝑡) & 𝑦 = 𝑔(𝑡), then the slope of the curve at the point
(x, y) is given by:

= where ≠ 0, and the second derivative is given by = (𝑦 ) = .

1continued) Find the slope of the tangent at x = -3. 2continued) Verify - graph is concave up at y = -2
Example) Find the tangent line(s) to the parametric curve given by 𝑥 = 𝑡 − 4𝑡 , 𝑦 = 𝑡 at (0, 4)

So, the parametric curve crosses itself. That explains how there can be more than one tangent line. There is
one tangent for each time the curve goes through the point.

Horizontal tangents: Derivative equals zero. Vertical tangents: Derivative is undefined.

Example) Determine the xy-coordinates of the points where the following parametric equations will have
horizontal and/or vertical tangents. 𝑥 = 𝑡 − 3𝑡, 𝑦 = 3𝑡 − 9
It’s Time to Revisit Particle Motion

 𝑥 (𝑡) = is the rate at which the x-coordinate is changing with respect to time or the velocity of a
particle in the horizontal direction
 𝑦 (𝑡) = is the rate at which the y-coordinate is changing with respect to time or the velocity of a
particle in the vertical direction
 Position vector can be found: 𝑠 = 〈𝑎 + ∫ 𝑥 (𝑘)𝑑𝑘 , 𝑏 + ∫ 𝑦 (𝑘)𝑑𝑘 〉 Initial info (a, b) at time c
 is the change of y with respect to x or the slope of the tangent line to the curve of the slope of the
position vector. It is NOT velocity.
 is the rate of change of the slope of the curve with respect to x

 Speed of the particle or the magnitude or the length = |𝑣(𝑡)| = +

 Total distance traveled or the length of the arc = ∫ + 𝑑𝑡

Example) Determine the values of t for which the parametric curve given by the following set of parametric
equations is concave up and concave down. 𝑥 = 1 − 𝑡 , 𝑦 = 𝑡 + 𝑡 [-1.5, 1.5]

Use your calculator to find the total distance the particle travels in a concave up direction.
Example) A particle moves in the xy-plane according to the following position vector,
𝑠(𝑡) = 〈√3 − 2 cos 𝑡, 1 − 2 sin 𝑡〉 where 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋.
A) Find the velocity and acceleration vectors.

B) The path of the particle intersects the x-axis twice. Write an expression that represents the distance
traveled by the particle between the two x-intercepts.

Assign: #9A

Pg. 657 # 7, 11, 13, 19, 27, 31, 41, 45, 47, 51

Pg. 694 # 49, 57

Pg. 700 # 7, 19, 22