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Lecture 4

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Lecture 4

Uploaded by

Tenri Dimitri
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Lec.4 Math.

3 Second Stage

Polar Coordinates

2.1 The polar coordinate system

The polar coordinate system is a two-dimensional coordinate system in which each point P on
a plane is determined by a distance r from a fixed point O that is called the pole (or origin)
and an angle ϴ from a fixed direction that is called the polar axis. The point P is represented
by the ordered pair (r, ϴ), and r, ϴ is called polar coordinates.

We extended the meaning of polar coordinates ( ) to the case in which r is negative by


agreeing that the points ( ) and ( ) lie in the same line through and the same
distance | | from , but on opposite sides of If r >0, the point (r, ) lies in the same
quadrant as . If r <0, it lies in the quadrant on the opposite side of the pole.

Example: Plot the points whose polar coordinates are given:

(a) ( ) (b) ( ) (c) ( ) (d) ( )

Solution:

H.W: Plot the points whose polar coordinates are given

(i) ( ) (ii) ( ) (iii) ( )

Note: ( ) ( )
In the Cartesian coordinate system, every point has only one representation, but in the polar
coordinate system, each point has many representations as ( ) can be represented by

( )and ( ( ) ) where n is integer. For instance, the point (1, ) in

the Example above could be written as (1, ) or (1, ) or ( , )

Example: Find all the polar coordinates of the point P(2, )

Solution: We sketch the initial ray of the coordinate system, draw the ray from the origin that

makes an angle of π/6 radians with the initial ray, and mark the point ( ) We then find the

angles for the other coordinate pairs of P in which and

For , the complete list of angles are

For , the angles are

The corresponding coordinate pairs of P are

( ),

and

( ),
2.2 Conversion between the two systems (Polar / Cartesian)

The connection between polar and Cartesian coordinates can be seen from the figure below
and described by the following formulas:

To convert from polar to Cartesian

To convert from Cartesian to polar coordinates

Both these sets of equations will be useful, but they must be used with care, as it is easy to
obtain an incorrect value of when the point does not lie in the first quadrant. So it is always
a good idea to plot the points first.

Example:

(a) Convert the point ( ) from polar to Cartesian coordinates.

(b) Represent the point with Cartesian coordinates ( ) in terms of polar coordinates.

Solution:

(a) We have
√
, √ .

Therefore, the point is ( √ ) in Cartesian coordinates.

(b) If we choose r to be positive, then


√ √ ( ) √ , =
Since the point ( ) lies in the fourth quadrant, we can choose or .

Thus one possible answer is (√ ), another is (√ ).

Example: Convert the point ( √ ) to the polar coordinates.


Solution:

Notice that, where the value of either x or y is negative, we have introduced another angle
by drawing a right-angled triangle. This new angle will always be between 0 and /2. Then
we can find the value of by subtraction, bearing in mind that we want to have the correct
value for the quadrant containing the point:

Example: Express the following equations in polar coordinates

(i) (ii) (iii)


Solution:
(i) ,

(ii) , ,
( ) ( )
[ ]

(iii)

Example: Convert the equation to the Cartesian form.

Solution: , ,

, ( )

H.W : Convert the Following equation from Cartesian to polar form


(a) ( ) (b)
(c) (d)

H.W: Convert the Following equation from polar to Cartesian form


(a) (b)

(c) (d)
√

Dr. Raheem Abdullah Ejbarah


Department of Petroleum & Gas Engineering
College of Engineering
University of Thi-Qar

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