1.

02: Polar and Cartesian forms of vectors

• Geometrically we show vectors with directed line segments.

• To operate with them, we need represent them using numbers.
• There are two ways to do this – polar and Cartesian form.
𝒙
Cartesian form (𝒙, 𝒚) or [𝒚]

Also known as component or rectangular form.

Below is a geometric representation of vector 𝒗 drawn on the Cartesian plane.

To go from the start to the end we would move left 3 and down 15. Therefore, we can express in Cartesian form as
3
(3, −15) or [ ].
−15
3 – describes the horizontal movement and therefore is referred to as horizontal component (𝑥 direction)

-15 – describes the vertical movement and therefore is referred to as the vertical component (𝑦 direction)

Vectors hold value if you ‘slide them around’ the Cartesian plane and they start and finish at different points. If their
length (magnitude) and direction (angle) of two vectors are the same then they are equal. If you were to slide the
vector above down so that it started at the origin (0,0) it would still be written as (3,15). In this case, the
components would not only refer to the horizontal and vertical movement to get from the start to the end, they
would also provide you with the co-ordinates of the end point because the movements would begin at the origin.

A position vector is a vector that starts at the origin (0,0). For a position vector, the components not only describe
the movement to get from start to end, but also give the co-ordinates of the end point.

Examples

The vector in Cartesian form is (−2, 6) as you move left 2 and up 5 to get from the start
to end.
 The vector in Cartesian form is (7, 3). As it is a position vector, you can use the
co-ordinates of the end point.

𝒓
Polar form (𝒓, 𝜽) or [𝒓, 𝜽] 𝒐𝒓 [ ]
𝜽
Remember the unit circle?

➢ 𝜃 measured from the positive 𝑥 axis.

➢ Thanks to symmetry, sin, cos and tan values of angles bigger than 90° can be obtained.

➢ Since…

The value of sin and cos, for example, of 30°, 150°, 210°/-150° and 270°/-30° will only differ by a + or – as 𝑥
and 𝑦 have different signs depending on the quadrant they are in.
E.g.
So what about vectors?

➢ Even if a vector is not a position vector, ‘we imagine it is’ to work out the polar form.
➢ It can be any length (magnitude).
➢ Changes in length don’t change the angle.
➢ So 1 is now 𝑟 because it can vary.
➢ 𝜃 won’t change.

So for vectors this means that…

If you have (𝑥, 𝑦), then 𝑟 (the magnitude) of the vector is the hypotenuse, then it can be worked out using
Pythagoras’ theorem…

…and 𝜃 can be determined using a trig ratio….

Once you have r and 𝜃, you can write it in polar form…

𝑟
(𝑟, 𝜃) or [𝑟, 𝜃] 𝑜𝑟 [ ]
𝜃
NOTE:

▪ Vector conventions are that 𝜃 should be written −180° < 𝜃 ≤ 180

▪ When working without your calculator, use ‘the special triangles’ and knowledge of ‘boundary angles’
to assist with obtaining trig ratio values for common angles.
Examples

Convert (4, −120°) in Cartesian form.

(4, −120°) = (−2, −2√3)

Convert (4, −4) to polar form.

(4, −4) = (4√2 , −45°)