Advacnced Calculus - Polar Coordinates

GAURI BHUJU
Department of Mathematics
School of Science, Kathmandu University
Kavre, Dhulikhel

Lecture 1

August 13, 2020

Polar Coordinates
Definition
I Fix an origin O (called the pole)
I Fix an initial ray from the origin (called initial ray)
I P(r , θ) where OP = r , (directed distance from the point O to
P.
Polar coordinates are not unique...

I For r = 2, θ = π/4, the complete list of angles is

π/4, π/4 + 2π, π/4 + 4π, π/4 + 6π, + · · ·
I For r = −2, θ = 5π/4 the complete list of angles is
5π/4, 5π/4 + 2π, 5π/4 + 4π, 5π/4 + 6π, + · · ·
For the point P(r , θ), the equivalent polar coordinates are
P(r , θ + 2nπ), n = 0, ±1, ±2, ±3, · · ·
Polar Coordinates
Examples

1. Find all polar coordinates of the point P(1, π/3).

2. Plot the following points.

a. (2, π/2) b. (−3, π/4) c. (−2, π/3)

3. Which polar coordinate pairs label the same point?

a. (3, 0) b. (−3, π) c. (−r , θ)

d. (2, 2π/3) e. (−2, −π/3)
f. (r , θ) g. (r , π + θ)
Polar Equations and Graphs

Equation Graph
r =a Circle of radius |a| centered at origin.
θ = θ0 Line through origin making an angle θ0 with the initial ray.

What does r = r0 , θ = θ0 represent?

Equations of axes???
Graphs of Polar Equations
a. r = 1, r = −1
b. 1 ≤ r ≤ 2 and 0 ≤ θ ≤ π/2
c. −3 ≤ r ≤ 2 and θ = π/4
d. 2π/3 ≤ θ ≤ 5π/6
(no restriction on r )
Figure: Graph of equation (b)

Figure: Graph of equation (c)

Figure: Graph of equation (d)
Examples

Graph the sets of points whose polar coordinates satisfy the

following

a. r = 2 b. 0 ≤ θ ≤ π/6, r ≥ 0

c. −π/4 ≤ π/4, −1 ≤ r ≤ 1 d. θ = π/2, r ≥ 0

e. 0 ≤ r ≤ 2 f. θ = π/2, r ≤ 0

g. r ≥ 1 h. 0 ≤ θ ≤ π, r = 1
Relating Polar and Cartesian Coordinates

Relation
x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ (Polar - Cartesian)
y
r 2 = x 2 + y 2 , tan θ = (Cartesian - Polar)
x

Write equivalent Cartesian equations.

a. r sin θ = 2 b. r = −3 sec θ
c. r 2 sin 2θ = 2 d. r = 1 − cos θ
e. r = 1 + 2r cos θ f. r = 2 cos θ − sin θ
 π
g. r sin θ + = 2 h. r sin θ = ln r + ln cos θ
6

Write equivalent Polar equations.

a. x = 1 b. x 2 + y 2 = 4 c. x 2 + xy + y 2 = 1