MATH142

2
Chapter 9
PARAMETRIC
EQUATIONS AND POLAR
COORDINATES
Chapter Overview
We usually describe curves by giving y as a
function of x, y = f(x), or x as a function of y,
x = f(y). [e.g. y = 3x
2
+ 2x -5, x = 3y +5]

We have also seen implicit descriptions of
relations, x
2
y + y
4
x
3
7 = 0.

In this chapter, we learn two new ways for
describing curves:
Describing x and y in terms of a third
variable called a parameter, x = f(t), y = g(t).
Polar Coordinates
4
Parametric Curves
9.1
Objectives
1. Define parametric equations.
2. Graph parametric curves.
3. Convert between parametric equations
and functions.
4. Find tangents, areas, and arc lengths of
parameterized curves.

5
Parametric Curves
Imagine that a particle moves along the curve C shown in
Figure 1.







It is impossible to describe C by an equation of the form
y = f (x) because C fails the Vertical Line Test.

Figure 1
6
Parametric Curves
But the x- and y-coordinates of the particle are functions of
time and so we can write x = f (t) and y = g(t).

Such a pair of equations is often a convenient way of
describing a curve and gives rise to the following definition.

Suppose that x and y are both given as functions of a third
variable t (called a parameter) by the equations


.

These are called parametric equations.

7
Parametric Curves
Each value of t determines a point (x, y), which we can plot
in a coordinate plane.

As t varies, the point (x, y) = (f (t), g(t)) varies and traces out
a curve C, which we call a parametric curve.

The parameter t does not necessarily represent time and,
in fact, we could use a letter other than t for the parameter.

But in many applications of parametric curves, t does
denote time and therefore we can interpret
(x, y) = (f (t), g(t)) as the position of a particle at time t.

8
Example 1
Sketch and identify the curve defined by the parametric
equations


Solution:
Each value of t gives a point on the curve, as shown in the
table.
9
Example 1
For instance, if t = 0, then x = 0, y = 1 and so the
corresponding point is (0, 1). Below, we plot the points
(x, y) determined by several values of the parameter t and
we join them to produce a curve.

contd
10
Example 1
A particle whose position is given by the parametric equations moves
along the curve in the direction of the arrows as t increases.

Notice that the consecutive points marked on the curve appear at equal
time intervals but not at equal distances. That is because the particle
slows down and then speeds up as t increases.

It appears that the curve traced out by the particle may be a parabola.

contd
11
Example 1
This can be confirmed by eliminating the parameter t as
follows. We obtain t = y 1 from the second equation and
substitute into the first equation.

This gives


and so the curve represented by the given parametric
equations is the parabola

contd
12
Parametric Curves
In general, the curve with parametric equations





has initial point (f (a), g(a)) and terminal point (f (b), g(b)).

13
Graphing Calculators
and
Parametric Curves
14
Example 1
Use a graphing device to graph the last curve

Solution:
Solve for y.
2
4 3 x y y = +
2
3 4 x y y =
( )
2
3 4 4 4 complete the square x y y + = +
( )
2
1 2 x y + =
2 1 y x = +
2 1 y x = +
15
Example 1
Use a graphing device to graph the last curve in parametric
form.

Solution:
Change the mode to PAR and graph
16
Example 2
Use a graphing device to graph the curve

Solution:
If we let the parameter be t = y, then we have the equations


Using these parametric equations to graph the curve, we
obtain Figure 8.
17
Example 2
It would be possible to solve the given equation
for y as four functions of x and graph them
individually, but the parametric equations provide a much
easier method.

contd
18
Graphing Devices
In general, if we need to graph an equation of the form
x = g(y), we can use the parametric equations





Notice also that curves with equations y = f (x) (the ones we
are most familiar withgraphs of functions) can also be
regarded as curves with parametric equations

19
Example 3
cos , sin 0 2 x t y t t t = = s s
( )
cos , sin t t
20
Example 4
Use parametric curves to graph the inverse of a function
when the inverse is not easy (or impossible) to find.


Solution:




Graphing Calculator







( )
3
Graph the inverse of 2 f x x x = + +
( ) ( )
3
, 2 x t t y t t t = = + +
( ) ( )
3
the inverse: 2, x t t t y t t = + + =
21
Example 5
Consider the graph of

It is a graph of a circle with radius 3.

If x(t) = cos t, y = sin t are the parametric equations of the
unit circle, such that (cos t, sin t) are the points on the
circle, then what are the parametric equations for this
circle?











2 2
9 x y + =
( )
3cos , 3sin x t t y t = =
22
Calculus with Parametric
Curves
9.2
23
Tangents
24
Tangents
Suppose f and g are differentiable functions and we want to
find the tangent line at a point on the parametric curve
x = f (t), y = g(t) where y is also a differentiable function of x.

Then the Chain Rule gives




If dx/dt 0, we can solve for dy/dx:

25
Tangents
This equation enables us to find the slope dy/dx of the
tangent to a parametric curve without having to eliminate
the parameter t.

We see from the equation that the curve has a horizontal
tangent when dy/dt = 0 (provided that dx/dt 0) and it has
a vertical tangent when dx/dt = 0 (provided that dy/dt 0).

dy
dy
dt
dx
dx
dt
=
26
Example 6
2 3
Consider , 3 3 3, what is ?
dy
x t y t t t
dx
= = s s
dy
dy
dt
dx
dx
dt
=
2
3 3
2
dy t
dx t

=
27
Example 6
contd
2 3
, 3 3 3 x t y t t t = = s s
What is the slope of the tangent line at (3, 0)?
If we are going to use the formula we just obtained for the
derivative, we need to find t when x = 3 and y = 0.
( )
2
2 2
3: 3 3
0: 3 0 3 0 0, 3
x t t
y t t t t t t
= = =
= = = = =
When 3, 3 and 0. t x y = = =
3
3
t
dy
dx
=
=
3
3
t
dy
dx
=
=
2
3 3
2
dy t
dx t

=
28
Example 6
contd
2 3
, 3 3 3 x t y t t t = = s s
Write the equations of the tangent lines at (3, 0)?
( ) ( )
0 3 3 0 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3
y x and y x
y x and y x
= =
= = +
Graph the original curve and the tangents in parametric form.
29
Example 6
contd
2 3
, 3 3 3 x t y t t t = = s s
Where is the tangent line horizontal?
When 0 0
dy dy
or
dx dt
= =
dy
dy
dt
dx
dx
dt
=
2
3 3
2
dy t
dx t

=
2
3 3 0 1 t t = =
( ) ( )
1, 2 1, 2
30
Example 6
contd
2 3
, 3 3 3 x t y t t t = = s s
Where is the tangent line vertical?
When is undefined 0
dy dx
or
dx dt
=
dy
dy
dt
dx
dx
dt
=
2
3 3
2
dy t
dx t

= 2 0 0 t t = =
( )
0, 0
31
Areas
32
Areas
We know that the area under a curve from a to b is
where

If the curve is given by parametric equations
and is traversed once as t increases from o to |, then we
can adapt the earlier formula by using the Substitution Rule
for Definite Integrals as follows:
33
Example 3
Find the area under one arch of the cycloid
on .
( )
2 sin x u u =
( )
2 1 cos y u =
0 2 u t s s
( )
1 cos f t u
'
=
( ) ( )
2
0
2 1 cos 2 1 cos d
t
u u u -
}
( )
2
2
0
4 1 cos d
t
u u =
}
37.7
34
Arc Length
35
Arc Length
We already know how to find the length L of a curve C
given in the form

If F ' is continuous, then



Suppose that C can also be described by the parametric
equations .
36
Example 5
Find the length of one arch of the cycloid
on .




( )
2 sin x u u =
0 2 u t s s
( )
2 1 cos y u =
1 cos ; sin
dx dy
dt dt
u u = =
( ) ( )
2
2 2
0
2 1 cos 2 sin d
t
u u u + = ( (
}
16
37
9.1: 1, 3, 5, 23
9.2: 1, 3, 13, 37
Read 9.3 and 9.4
Homework