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Trigonometry > Polar Coordinates
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QuickNotes™  

Polar Coordinates

Main definition and formulas:

  • Rectangular or Cartesian coordinates (x,y) describe a point based on the distances from the x- and y-axes.
  • Polar coordinates (r,θ ) describe a point based on the distance from the origin and the angle it makes with the positive x-axis.
  • Conversions:
    r
    =


     

    x2 + y2
     
    θ
    =
    arctan y

    x
    ,
    if x > 0 (Quadrants I and IV)
      
    π + arctan y

    x
    ,
    if x < 0 (Quadrants II and III)
    x
    =
    r cosθ
    y
    =
    r sinθ
  • Usually, r ≥ 0, but not necessarily.
  • Usually, 0 ≤ θ < 2π , but not necessarily.

Example 1:

Convert the following points from rectangular coordinates to polar coordinates: (3√ 2, − 3√ 2), (− 4,− 3), (− √ 3,1), (− 2,5).

Example 2:

Convert the following points in polar coordinates to standard form (with r ≥ 0, 0 ≤ θ < 2π ), and then convert them to rectangular coordinates: (8,− [3π /4]), (− 6,− [11π /6]), (− 2,[11π /3]), (3,− [2π /3]).

Example 3:

Graph the polar equation r = 2sinθ . Check your answer by converting the equation to rectangular coordinates and solving it algebraically.

Example 4:

Convert the following points in polar coordinates to standard form (with r ≥ 0, 0 ≤ θ < 2π ), and then convert them to rectangular coordinates: (− 2,− [13π /6]), (6,− [π /3]), (− 5,[7π /4]), (− 4,− [5π /4]).

Example 5:

Graph the polar equation r = sin2θ .
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