Course: Calculus For Engineers (UMA022)

Graphing in Polar Coordinates

Dr Lateef Ahmad Wani

Department of Mathematics
Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology
Patiala, Punjab

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Overview

1 Introduction to Polar Coordinates

2 Polar Equations and Graphs

3 Relating Polar and Cartesian Coordinates

4 Graphing in Polar Coordinates

Sketching the Polar Curve r 2 = cos ω

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Introduction to Polar Coordinates

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Introduction to Coordinate Systems

Cartesian Coordinates:
⌐ Defined by the pair (x, y)
⌐ x is the horizontal distance from the origin, y is the vertical distance.
Polar Coordinates:
⌐ Defined by the pair (r, ω)
⌐ r is the distance from the origin, ω is the angle with the positive
x-axis

Relation between Cartesian and Polar Coordinates

x = r cos ω, y = r sin ω

⌜
r= x2 + y 2 , ω = tan⌐1 ⌜ ⌝
y
x

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Example 1: Converting Cartesian to Polar Coordinates
⌝
Given that (x, y) = ( 3, 1). Find the coordinates of this point in polar
form.
Solution: (x, y) → (r, ω)
Here
⌜ ⌝ ⌝
r = x + y = ( 3)2 + 12 = 2.
2 2

and

ω = tan⌐1 ⌜ ⌝ = tan⌐1 ⌝ ⌝ ⌝ = .
y 1 ε
x 3 6
⌝
∴ the point (x, y) = ( 3, 1) in polar coordinates is (r, ω) = (2, ε⌞6).

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Ploting the Point in Cartesian Coordinates
⌝
The point in Cartesian Coordinates is (x, y) = ( 3, 1)
y

⌝
( 3, 1)

1
⌝ x
3

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Ploting the Point in Polar Coordinates
The point in Polar Coordinates is (r, ω) = (2, ε⌞6).
y

(2, ω6 )
ω⌜6
x

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Example 2: Converting Polar to Cartesian Coordinates

If (r, ω) = (4, 45○ ), then (x, y) =?

Solution:
The coordinates (x, y) are determined as
⌝
x = r cos ω = 4 cos(45○ ) = 4 ⋊ ⌝ = 2 2
1
2
⌝
y = r sin ω = 4 sin(45○ ) = 4 ⋊ ⌝ = 2 2
1
2
⌝ ⌝
Hence (x, y) = (2 2, 2 2).

Assignment: Plot the points.

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Plotting Polar Coordinates with Negative r

In polar coordinates, a point is represented as (r, ω).

When r is negative:
⌐ The point is located in the opposite direction of the angle ω.
⌐ Mathematically, (−r, ω) is equivalent to (r, ω + ε).
Example:
⌐ Plot the point (−2, ω4 ).
y

(−2, ω4 )

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A Point Has Infinite Representations in the Polar System

⌐ In the polar coordinate system, a point is represented as (r, ω),

where:
⌐ r is the radial distance from the origin.
⌐ ω is the angle measured from the positive x-axis.
⌐ Infinite representations arise due to the periodic nature of ω. For
example:
⌐ (r, ω) and (r, ω + 2εk), where k is any integer, represent the same
point.
⌐ Similarly, (−r, ω + ε) represents the same point because:
The negative radius (⌐r) reflects the point across the origin.
The angle ω + ε shifts the direction by 180⌐ .
⌐ This non-uniqueness is a fundamental property of polar coordinates.

Key Insight: A single point can be represented in infinitely many ways in

polar coordinates!

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Home Assignments

1 For the following points in the Cartesian Plane, find their

representation in polar form.
a (−2, 0)
b (3, −3)
c (−1, −1)
2 For the following points in the polar form, find their representation in
Cartesian form.
a (3, 3ε⌞2)
b (8, ε⌞4)
c (−8, ε⌞4)

NOTE: Plot the points in their respective planes.

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Polar Equations and Graphs

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Recall

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Polar Regions, Segments, Rays

Example Graph the sets of points whose polar coordinates satisfy the
following conditions.
1. 1 ≤ r ≤ 2 and 0 ≤ ω ≤ ε⌞2

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2. −3 ≤ r ≤ 2 and ω = ε⌞4

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3. r ≤ 0 and ω = ε⌞4

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 ≤ω≤
2ε 5ε
4. (no restriction on r).
3 6

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Relating Polar and Cartesian Coordinates

Here are some plane curves expressed in terms of both polar coordinate
and Cartesian coordinate equations.

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Examples

Replace the following polar equations by equivalent Cartesian equations

and identify their graphs.
1 r cos ω = −4 [Ans. x=-4, which is a vertical line through -4.]
2 r = 4 cos ω (Important)
Sol. Multiplying b/s by r, we get
r 2 = 4r cos ω
⇒ x2 + y 2 = 4x
⇒ x2 + y 2 − 4x = 0 0 2 4

⇒ (x − 2)2 + y 2 = 4,
which is a circle with center at (2, 0) and radius 2.
3 r = −9 sin ω (Home Assignment)
4 r= 2
cos ε ⌐ 3 sin ε

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Graphing in Polar Coordinates

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Introduction

Definition
The graph of a polar equation r = f (ω), or more generally F (r, ω) = 0,
consists of all points P that have at least one polar representation (r, ω)
whose coordinates satisfy the equation.

Example. Sketch the curve r = 2 cos ω

Steps for Sketching a Curve:
⌐ We find the values of r for some convenient values of ω from the
equation r = f (ω).
⌐ Plot the corresponding points (r, ω).
⌐ Then we join these points with a free hand in order of increasing ω to
sketch the curve.

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Solution. Let us plot the curve r = 2 cos ω.
Values Table: We have used only values of ω between 0 and ε, since if
we let ω increase beyond ε, we obtain the same points again.

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Plotting the points and Sketching the curve: Let us now plot the
points and join them to get the curve.

This is a circle.
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Symmetry

Figure 10.25 illustrates the standard polar coordinate tests for symmetry.

Figure: 10.25

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Symmetry

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Deceptive Coordinates - An Imp. Example
Example
Check whether the point (1, −ε⌞4) lies on the curve r = sin 2ω.

Sol. To verify it, we need to substitute the point (1, −ε⌞4) into the given
equation. Substituting, we have

1 = sin 2 ⌜− ⌝ = − sin = −1.

ε ε
4 2
That is not a true equality.
Let us check the equation for the deceptive coordinates of the point
(1, − ω4 ) which are given by (−1, − ω4 + ε) = (−1, 3ω ). Substituting in
r = sin 2ω, we have
4

−1 = sin 2 ⌜ ⌝ = sin = − sin = −1.

3ε 3ε ε
4 2 2
The equation is satisfied.
Hence the point (1, −ε⌞4) lies on the curve r = sin 2ω.
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Home Assignments

Example
Show that the point (2, ε⌞2) lies on the curve r = 2 cos 2ω.

Example
Show that the point (1⌞2, 3ε⌞2) lies on the curve r = − sin ⌞ ε3 ⌞.

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Sketching r = f (ω) using the Symmetry Tests

1 Check the symmetry of the curve:

(a). About the x-axis:
(r, ω) ↢→ (r, −ω);
✁ If the curve is symmetric w.r.t.
(r, ω) → (−r, ε − ω). DC x-axis, we will take ω ∈ [0, ε].

(b). About the y-axis: ✁ If the curve is symmetric w.r.t.

(r, ω) ↢→ (r, ε − ω); y-axis, we will take ω ∈ [− ω2 , ω2 ].
(r, ω) → (−r, −ω). DC

(c). About the origin: ✁ If the curve is symmetric w.r.t.

(r, ω) ↢→ (−r, ω); origin, we will take ω ∈ [0, ε].
(r, ω) → (r, ω + ε). DC

2 Points Table: Find the values of r for some convenient values of ω

in the specified interval using the equation r = f (ω).
3 Sketching: Plot the points (r, ω) and join them using circular arcs in
increasing ω.
4 Apply the symmetry feature, if any.
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ATM
1 Symmetry about Both Axes and the Origin
⌐ If a curve is symmetric about both the x-axis and y-axis,
it is also symmetric about the origin.
⌐ In this case, it is su!cient to plot the curve for ω ∈ [0, ε⌜2]
only and the rest will be done by symmetry.

2 Symmetry about the Origin and One Axis

⌐ If a curve is symmetric about the origin and either the
x-axis or y-axis, it is symmetric about the other axis too.

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Examples
Example 1. Sketch the polar curve r = 1 − sin ω.
Solution.
Step 1: Symmetry Checking:
(a) Along the x-axis: (r, ω) ↢→ (r, −ω) in r = 1 − sin ω gives
r = 1 − sin(−ω)
⇒ r = 1 + sin ω ⋊
(r, ω) ↢→ (−r, ε − ω) gives
−r = 1 − sin(ε − ω)
⇒ −r = 1 − sin ω ⋊
(b) Along the y-axis: (r, ω) ↢→ (r, ε − ω) in r = 1 − sin ω gives
r = 1 − sin(ε − ω)
⇒ r = 1 − sin ω ⋉
Therefore, the curve is symmetric about y-axis.
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(c) Along the origin: (r, ω) ↢→ (−r, ω) gives

−r = 1 − sin ω ⋊
(r, ω) ↢→ (r, ε + ω) gives

r = 1 − sin(ε + ω)
⇒ r = 1 + sin ω ⋊

Thus, the curve is symmetric about y-axis. Therefore, we take ω ∈ [− ω2 , ω2 ].

Step 2: Generating Points Table:

ω ⌐ω
2
⌐ω
3
⌐ω
4
⌐ω
6
0 ω
6
ω
4
ω
3
ω
2
⌜ ⌜
r = 1 ⌐ sin ω 2 1+ 2
3
1+ ⌜
1
1+ 1
2
1 1⌐ 1
2
1⌐ ⌜
1
1 ⌐ 23 0
2 2
Approx.
2 1.86 1.7 1.5 1 0.5 0.3 0.15 0

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Step 3. Plotting the points (r, ω) and the curve:

ω ⌐ω
2
⌐ω
3
⌐ω
4
⌐ω
6
0 ω
6
ω
4
ω
3
ω
2

r = 1 ⌐ sin ω 2 1.86 1.7 1.5 1 0.5 0.3 0.15 0

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 Joining the Points Reflecting about y-axis

This is a heart-shaped curve and is called Cardioid.

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Example 2.

Sketch the polar curve r 2 = cos ω. ⌝

Solution. From the equation r 2 = cos ω, we have r = ± cos ω which is
defined (real) provided cos ω ≥ 0 and this is true when ω ∈ [−ε⌞2, ε⌞2].
Thus we will get the whole graph by running ω from −ε⌞2 to ε⌞2.
Although, we can sketch the graph without symmetry, let us check the
symmetry of the curve.
Step 1: Symmetry: Verify that the curve is symmetric about all the
three.
Step 2: Points Table:

ω ⌐ω
2
⌐ω
3
⌐ω
4
⌐ω
6
0 ω
6
ω
4
ω
3
ω
2
⌜ ⌜ ⌜ ⌜
r = ± cos ω 0 ± 12 ± 2
2
± 2
3
±1 ± 23 ± 22 ± 12 0

Approx. r 0 ±0.5 ±0.7 ±0.86 ±1 ±0.86 ±0.7 ±0.5 0

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 ω ⌐ω
2
⌐ω
3
⌐ω
4
⌐ω
6
0 ω
6
ω
4
ω
3
ω
2

r = cos ω 0 0.5 0.7 0.86 1 0.86 0.7 0.5 0

r = ⌐ cos ω 0 ⌐0.5 ⌐0.7 ⌐0.86 ⌐1 ⌐0.86 ⌐0.7 ⌐0.5 0

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Home Assignment

Important Examples
Sketch the following polar curves
1 r = 2 sin 2ω
2 r 2 = − sin 2ω
3 r 2 = 1 + 2 sin ω

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