Polar Coordinates

Dr. Pradeep Boggarapu

Dept. of Mathematics,
BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus
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11.3 Polar Coordinates

.
 Representation of Polar Coordinates

 Relation between Cartesian and Polar coordinates

 Curve Tracing in Polar Coordinates (Graphing Polar

Coordinate Equations)

 Integration in Polar coordinates

 The polar coordinate systems are used for example, in
tracking the motion of planets and satellites.

 It is used in identifying the location of objects from

information on radar screen.

 It is also used in designing antennas.

 We know how to specify the location of a point in the plane by
means of coordinates relative to two perpendicular coordinates
axes.
 Such a systems is called as rectangular coordinate systems.
 Some time a moving point has special affinity for some fixed
point, such as a planet moving in an orbit under the central
attraction of Sun.
 In such cases the path of particle is best described by its angular
direction and its distance from the fixed point.
 Types of Coordinate Systems

Coordinate system

Two dimensional Three dimensional

Cartesian (𝑥, 𝑦) Polar (𝑟, ) Cartesian(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) Spherical Polar Cylindrical Polar

(𝜌, 𝜃, 𝜙, ) (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝑧)
 Polar Coordinates.
To define polar coordinates for a point. Fix an origin O, called the pole, and an
initial ray from O (initial ray is called polar axis).
 Let r be the ‘directed’ distance from O to P and θ be the ‘directed’ angle
(usually measured in radians) from the polar axis to the ray OP.
 P is represented by the ordered pair (r, θ). Here r, θ are called polar
coordinates of P.
 Let 𝑃 be a point with polar coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃0 )
 Positive 𝜽: If it is measured in the counterclockwise direction from
the polar axis.
 Negative 𝜽: If it is measured in the counterclockwise direction from
the polar axis.
 Positive 𝒓: If it is measured in the same direction of the ray 𝜃 = 𝜃0
from the origin 𝑂.
 Negative 𝒓: If it is measured in the reverse direction of the ray 𝜃 =
θ0 from the origin 𝑂.
 For 𝑃 = 𝑂, then 𝑟 = 0 and (0, 𝜃) represents the origin (pole) for any
value of 𝜃.
 The point (𝑟, 𝜃) and (−𝑟, 𝜃) lie on the same line through the origin
𝑂 and the same distance |𝑟| from 𝑂, but on opposite sides of 𝑂.
 Note that (−𝑟, 𝜃) represent the same point as (𝑟, 𝜃 + 𝜋).
 If 𝑟 > 0 then the point (𝑟, 𝜃) lies in the same quadrant as 𝜃.
 If 𝑟 < 0 then the point (𝑟, 𝜃) lies in the quadrant on the opposite side
of the pole.
 Plot the points whose polar coordinates are given.
5𝜋
a) 1,
4
b) 2, 3𝜋
2𝜋
c) 2, −
3
3𝜋
d) −3,
4
 5𝜋
 a) The point 1, is plotted here
4
 b) The point 2, 3𝜋 is plotted here
 2𝜋
 c) The point 2, − is plotted here
3
 3𝜋
 d) The point −3, is plotted here
4
 In the Cartesian coordinate system, every point has only one
representation.
 However, in the polar coordinate system, each point has many
𝜋
representations. For instance, the point 2, .
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 In fact, as a complete counterclockwise rotation is given by an angle
2𝜋, the point represented by polar coordinates 𝑟, 𝜃 is also
represented by
𝑟, 𝜃 + 2𝑛𝜋 and −𝑟, 𝜃 + 2𝑛 + 1 𝜋
where 𝑛 is any integer.
 The connection between polar and Cartesian
coordinates:
 The pole corresponds to the origin.
 The polar axis coincides with the positive 𝑥-axis.
 If the point P has Cartesian coordinates 𝑥, 𝑦 and
polar coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃), then from the figure, we
have
𝑥 𝑦
cos 𝜃 = , sin 𝜃 =
𝑟 𝑟
 Therefore, 𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃 , 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃 Eq(1)
 Although the above equations were deduced from
the figure (which illustrate the case where 𝑟 > 0 and
𝜋
0 < 𝜃 < ), But these equations were valid for all
2
values of 𝑟 and 𝜃.
 𝜋
 Example 2. Convert the point 2, from polar to Cartesian coordinates.
3
𝜋
Since 𝑟 = 2 and 𝜃 = ,Equation 1 gives
3
𝜋 1
𝑥 = 𝑟 cos𝜃 = 2 cos =2⋅ =1
3 2
𝜋 3
𝑦 = 𝑟 sin𝜃 = 2 sin =2⋅ = √3
2 2
 Thus, the point is 1, 3 in Cartesian coordinates.
𝜋 𝜋
 Example 3. Find the Cartesian coordinates of −2, and 1, .
3 4
 To find r and θ when x and y are known,we use the equations
y
r  x  y , tan  
2 2 2

x
 Be careful while finding the 𝜃 value using the above equations.
 Example 4. Represent the point with Cartesian coordinates −1, −1 in
terms of polar coordinates.
 If we choose 𝑟 to be positive then 𝑟 = 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 =
𝑦 𝜋 5𝜋
−1 2 + −1 2 = 2 and tan𝜃 = = 1, this implies 𝜃 = or
𝑥 4 4

5𝜋
 Answer is 2, . (why?)
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 Cartesian and Polar Coordinates
2 2 2 𝑦
 In view of last example, Equations 𝑟 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 , tan 𝜃 = do not
𝑥
uniquely determine 𝜃 when 𝑥 and 𝑦 are given.
 This is because, as 𝜃 increases through the interval 0 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 2𝜋, each
value of tan 𝜃 occurs twice.
 So, in converting from Cartesian to polar coordinates, it is not good
enough just to find 𝑟 and 𝜃 that satisfy the equations 𝑟 2 = 𝑥 2 +
2 𝑦
𝑦 , tan 𝜃 = .
𝑥
 As in Example 4, we must choose 𝜃 so that the point 𝑟, 𝜃 lies in the
correct quadrant.
 Example 5. Convert the Cartesian coordinates 3, 1 , 1, − 3 and
− 3, −1 into polar coordinates.
 Cartesian and Polar Coordinates
 If the Cartesian coordinates 𝑥, 𝑦 are given we can use the following
formula to find the polar coordinates 𝑟, 𝜃
 𝑟 = + 𝑥2 + 𝑦2
−1 𝑦
tan 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 > 0
𝑥
−1 𝑦 −1 𝑦
tan + 𝜋 𝑜𝑟 tan − 𝜋 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 < 0
𝜃= 𝜋
𝑥 𝑥
𝑖𝑓 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 > 0
2
𝜋
− 𝑖𝑓 𝑥 = 0, 𝑦 < 0
2
Note that for the origin, 𝜃 can be taken any value.