Calculus III (Math211)

Week 1: 10.2 Polar Coordinates

By

Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim Usman

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POLAR COORDINATE SYSTEMS
• A polar coordinate system in a plane consists of a fixed point O, called
the pole(or origin), and a ray emanating from the pole, called the
polar axis.

• We can associate with each point P in the plane a pair of polar

coordinates (r, θ), where r is the distance from P to the pole and θ is
an angle from the polar axis to the ray OP . The number r is called the
radial coordinate of P and the number θ the angular coordinate (or
polar angle) of P.

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• If a point P has polar coordinates (r, θ), then (r, θ +2nπ) and (r,θ −2nπ)
are also polar coordinates of P for any nonnegative integer n.
• Thus, every point has infinitely many pairs of polar coordinates.
• We define negative radial coordinates by agreeing that (−r, θ) and
(r, θ +π) are polar coordinates of the same point.

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POLAR AND
RECTANGULAR COORDINATES

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Both rectangular and polar coordinates of a point P

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Some polar graphs
• Sketch the graphs of (a) r = 1 (b) θ = π /4

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Sketch the graph of r = θ (θ ≥ 0) in polar coordinates by plotting points.

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• Sketch the graph of the equation r = sinθ in polar coordinates
Solution:
= r sinθ =0

is a circle of centre(0,1/2) and r = 1/2 in xy-plane.

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For polar coordinates:

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SYMMETRY TESTS

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 FAMILIES OF CIRCLES
We will consider three families of circles in which a is assumed to be a
positive constant: (i) r =a (2) r =2acosθ and (3)r =2asinθ

• Observe that replacing θ by −θ does not change the equation r = 2a cos θ and that replacing θ by π − θ does not change the equation r = 2a
sin θ. This explains why the circles in Figure are symmetric about the x-axis and are symmetric about the y-axis.

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FAMILIES OF ROSE CURVES

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• r = a sin nθ and r = a cos nθ in which a > 0 and n is a positive integer
represent families of flower-shaped curves called roses. The rose
consists of n equally spaced petals of radius a if n is odd and 2n
equally spaced petals of radius a if n is even.

• It can be shown that a rose with an even number of petals is traced

out exactly once as θ varies over the interval 0 ≤ θ < 2π and a rose
with an odd number of petals is traced out exactly once as θ varies
over the interval 0 ≤ θ < π .

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Example: r = cos 2θ

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FAMILIES OF LIMAÇONS AND
CARDIOIDS
• Equations with any of the four forms r = a ± bsinθ ; r = a ± bcosθ in
which a > 0 and b > 0 represent polar curves called limaçons
• from the Latin word limax for a snail-like creature that is commonly
called a “slug” .
• There are four possible shapes for a limaçon that are determined by
the ratio a/b .
• If a = b (the case a/b =1), then the limaçon is called a cardioid because
of its heart-shaped appearance.

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FAMILIES OF LIMAÇONS

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FAMILIES OF CARDIOIDS

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R = 2 + 4cos

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For r = a(1−cosθ)

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FAMILIES OF SPIRALS
• A spiral is a curve that coils around a central point. Spirals generally
have “left-hand” and “right-hand” versions that coil in opposite
directions, depending on the restrictions on the polar angle and the
signs of constants that appear in their equations.

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EXERCISE SET 10.2
Plot the points in polar coordinates

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Answer

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2 .Find the rectangular coordinates of the points whose polar
coordinates are given.

Solution: Use x = r cos

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3.(5) In each part, a point is given in rectangular coordinates. Find two
pairs of polar coordinates for the point, one pair satisfying r ≥ 0 and
0 ≤ θ < 2π, and the second pair satisfying r ≥ 0 and −2π < θ ≤ 0.

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• Solution: Use r = and

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4.(10) Identify the curve by transforming the
given polar equation to rectangular coordinates

• Solution:
(a). r = 5 sec
r =5 x=5.

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(b) r = 2sin

is a circle of radius r = 1 and centre C(0,1) on the XY – plane.

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5.(12) Express the given equations in polar
coordinates.

Solution:

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6.(18) Find an equation for the given polar graph.

Solution:
(a) Here symmetry about the x-axis and r = a - bcos ; and a = 1
& a + b = 3 therefore b=2. hence r= 1- 2cos

(c) a = 1; n = 3; .
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 7 (19).Find an equation for the given polar graph.

(a) a = 3, n = 2, r = 3sin2θ
(b) symmetry about the y-axis and , the equation is of the form
r= a ± bsinθ. The cartesian points (3,0) and (0,5) give a = 3 and 5 = a+ b,
so b = 2 and r = 3 + 2sinθ.
(c) = 9cos2θ .
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8.Sketch the curve in polar coordinates (22)

• 22.
Ans:

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9. Sketch the curve in polar coordinates

23. r = 3
Answer:

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10.(24) Sketch the curve in polar coordinates for
r = 4 cos θ
Solution :

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11. Sketch the curve in polar coordinates

• 28. r = 5 - 5sin

• Ans: here a = b = 5 with

negative sin
Therefore cardioid
(5,0) & (0,-10)
And symmetric
About y axis.

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12. Sketch the curve in polar coordinates

30. r = 1 + 2sin

Ans: a = 1 & b = 2 therefore a + b = 3.

And b > a . And positive sin
Therefore limacon with points
(0,3) and (1,0) and an inner loop and
Inner point (0,1).

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13. Sketch the curve in polar coordinates

• 31. r = −1 − cos θ
• Solution:

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14. Sketch the curve in polar coordinates

33. r = 3 - sin
Solution:
It’s a Limacon on y axis
As there is negative sin
And b < a.
The points are (0,-4) & ( 3,0)
With no loop and out side point(0,2).

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15. Sketch the curve in polar coordinates

• 46. r = 2 cos 3θ
• Solution:

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 10.3 WEEK 2&3
Tangent lines, arc length and Area for polar curves

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TANGENT LINES TO POLAR CURVES
• To find a method for obtaining slopes of tangent lines to polar curves
of the form r = f(θ) in which r is a differentiable function of θ.
• let x = r cosθ and y = r sinθ.
• This yields x = f(θ)cosθ, y = f(θ)sinθ

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• Thus, if dx/dθ and dy/dθ are continuous and if dx/dθ 0, then y is a differentiable
function of x, then we get the slope as follows:

Note: 1.Horizontal tangent lines occur at dy /dθ = 0 and and dx/dθ 0

2.Vertical tangent lines occur at dx/ dθ = 0 and dy/dθ 0
3. A singular point is where both dy/dθ = 0 and dx/dθ = 0
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Example : r =1−cosθ
• When assuming x = rcos
• x = (1−cosθ)cosθ, y = (1−cosθ)sinθ in (0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π)

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EXERCISE SET 10.3
1.(1) Find the slope of the tangent line to the polar curve for the given
value of θ
r = 2 sin θ; θ = π/6
Solution: here
=

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2.(3).Find the slope of the tangent line to the polar curve for the given
value of θ.
r = 1/θ , θ = 2
Solution:
…………………(1)
r = 1/θ =
Therefore (1) gives that

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• =

• Therefore .

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3. (7)Calculate the slopes of the tangent lines indicated
in the accompanying figures
r = 2 + 2sinθ

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Solution:
•
• Here r = 2 + 2 sinθ and dr/dθ = 2cosθ
• Therefore

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4.(10)Find polar coordinates of all points at which the polar curve has a
horizontal or a vertical tangent line for r= a sinθ.
Solution: this circle is traced completely if θ varies from 0 to . So the θ
values in this interval should be considered.
Wkt
This gives x= a sinθ cosθ and y= a sinθ sinθ =.
And dx/dθ = a sinθ(- sinθ)+a cosθ cosθ = acos2
dy/dθ= 2asinθcosθ = asin2θ
dx/dθ= 0 implies acos2 =0 2θ = /2 θ = /4 .
dy/dθ=0 implies asin2 =0 2θ =0 θ =0 ,

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• Vertical tangent line occurs at θ = /4 (at these θ, dy/dθ

• Therefore at θ = , r = and at θ = /4 , r =

• vertical tangent lines exist at (a/√2,π/4), (a/√2,3π/4),

• Horizontal tangent lines occur at θ = /2 (at these θ, dx/dθ

• Therefore at θ = , r = and at θ = /2 , r =

• Horizontal tangent lines occur at (0,0) and (a, )

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6.(20) Use Formula (3) to calculate the arc length of the polar curve.
20. The entire circle r = 2a cosθ.
Solution:

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7.(29)Find the area of the region enclosed by the cardioid r = 2+2 cos θ.
Solution:

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 Week -3
10.3 Tangent lines, arc length and Area for polar curves (continues..)
1. (32) Find the area of the region enclosed by the rose r =2sin2θ.
Solution:

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2. Find the area of the shaded region.

Solution:

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3. Find the area of the shaded region.

Solution:

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4. (39) Find the area of the region inside the circle r = 3 sin θ and
outside the cardioid r = 1 + sin θ.
Solution:

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5. (41).Find the area of the region inside the cardioid r =2+2cosθ and
outside the circle r =3.
Solution: (see the graph)
3=2+2cosθ cosθ=1/2 θ=
A= (Area inside the cardioid between
- (Area inside the circle between .
A= }
=2} (using symmetry)

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Area =
A= 4

= 4
= 4 = 4
A= .

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