Math 1XX3: Week 6, Day 1

Parametric Equations
Parametric Equations (from Section 11.1)

Our Goal for Today:

To describe a curve in the plane as a path travelled over time.

Our Classroom Norms:

1. Have a pen and paper ready to take notes
2. Ask questions, or write them down to ask later
3. Review the recording on Avenue if needed
11.1 Parametrization

• To describe the motion of a particle moving along a curve C in the plane, we can
consider how its coordinates are changing as functions of time t.

• The location of the particle at t is given by

𝑐 𝑡 = 𝑥 𝑡 ,𝑦 𝑡

• This representation of the curve C is called a

parametrization with parameter t, and C is
called a parametric curve.
• The specific equations 𝑥 𝑡 , 𝑦 𝑡 defining a
parametrization are called parametric equations.
11.1 Example

a) Sketch the curve with parametric equations x = 2t − 4, y = 3 + t 2

b) Describe the parametric curve c(t) of the previous example in the form y = f (x).
11.1 Example

A model rocket follows the trajectory c(t) = (80t, 200t − 4.9t 2) until it hits the ground,
with t in seconds and distance in meters. Find:
(a) The rocket’s height at t = 5 s.
(b) Its maximum height.
11.1 Parametrizations of a Line

Parametrization of a Line The line through P = (a, b) of slope m is parametrized by

x = a + t, y = b + mt −∞ < t < ∞

• The equations x = a + qt and y = b + pt for − ∞ < t < ∞ also parametrize the line of
slope m passing through (a, b), provided that p/q = m.

• Ex: Find parametric equations for the line through P = (3, −1) and Q = (5, −8).
11.1 Parametrization of a Circle

• A circle of radius R centered at (a, b) origin has parametrization

x = a + R cos θ, y = b + R sin θ

• The parameter θ represents the angle with the positive x-axis

• The circle is traversed once in the counterclockwise

direction as θ varies over a half-open interval of length 2π,
such as [0, 2π ) or [−π , π ).

• Eliminating the parameter θ returns the equation (x − a)2 + (y − b)2 = R2

11.1 Symmetric Curve

• Consider a parametrization c(t) = (x (t), y(t)), where x (t) is an even function and y(t) is an
odd function.
• That is, x (−t) = x (t) and y(−t) = −y(t).

• In this case, c(−t) is the reflection of c(t) across the x-axis:

c(−t) = (x (−t), y(−t)) = (x (t), −y(t))

• The curve, therefore, is symmetric with respect to the x-axis.

11.1 Different Paths on the Parabola y = x 2

Describe the motion of a particle along each of the following paths:

a. c1(t) = (t 3, t 6) b. c2(t ) = (t 2, t 4) c. c3(t) = (cos t, cos2 t)
11.1 Rate of Change in Parametric Equations

• The slope of the tangent line is defined to be the derivative dy/dx .

• In a parametric curve, y is not given explicitly as a function of x, instead we have
x = f (t), y = g(t)
11.1 Example

Consider the parametric curve c(t) = (t 2 + 1, t 3 − 4t )

a. Find an equation of the tangent line to c at t = 3.
b. Find the two points where the tangent is horizontal.
11.1 Parametric Equations and the Area

• The area under a curve y = h(x) when h(x) ≥ 0 for

a ≤ x ≤ b is given by
𝑏

𝐴 = න ℎ 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
𝑎

• This curve is traced once by a parametric curve c(t) = (x (t), y(t)),

where x(t0) = a and x(t1) = b
• Then by substitution,
𝑡1

𝐴 = න 𝑦 𝑡 𝑥 ′ 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑡0
11.1 Example

Determine the area enclosed within the loop for c(t) = (t 2, 4t − t 3)

Overview
Key Ideas
• For a parametric curve c(t) = (x (t), y(t)), the slope of the tangent line at c(t) is:
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 Τ𝑑𝑡 𝑦′(𝑡)
= Τ =
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑡 𝑥′(𝑡)

• Standard parametrizations include:

1) Line of slope m = s /r through P = (a, b): c(t) = (a+ rt, b + st)
2) Circle of radius R centered at P = (a, b): c(t) = (a+ R cost, b + R sin t)
3) Graph of y = f(x): c(t) = (t, f (t))
𝑡
• The area under a curve c(t) = (x(t), y(t)) above the x-axis is 𝐴 = ‫ 𝑡׬‬1 𝑦 𝑡 𝑥 ′ 𝑡 𝑑𝑡
0

For more information, please read Section 11.1 in our textbook