Academic Pre-Calculus

Chapter 10

Topics in Analytic Geometry

10.7 Polar Coordinates
10.8 Graphs of Polar Equations

Name: __________________ Teacher: _____________ Period: _____

POLAR COORDINATES
The position of a point P in the plane can be described using polar
coordinates instead of rectangular coordinates.
Rectangular Coordinates

Polar Coordinates

Origin (0, 0)

Pole O

x-axis and y-axis

Polar Axis (Positive x-axis)

P = (x, y)

P = (r, )

x = horizontal distance
from origin
(independent variable)
y = vertical distance
from origin
(dependent variable)
1 Point = 1 Ordered Pair

r = distance from the Pole

(dependent variable)
= angle in standard position
with the terminal side
through P
(independent variable)
1 Point = Many Polar Coordinates

P (r, )
r

O (Pole)

Polar Axis

Plot the following points on the polar grid below:

7
5

1. A 3, , B 4, , C 2, , D 3, , E 5,
6
2 4
6
3

2. Name point F three other ways where -2 2.

2
F 4, a) ________ b) ________ c) ________
3
3. Name point F two other ways where 2 4.
2
F 4, a) ________ b) ________
3
4. Name point G three other ways where -2 2.
3

G 2.5, a) ________
b) ________ c) ________
4

Converting Between Polar and Rectangular Coordinates

(r, ) (x, y)

I. Polar Form to Rectangular Form:

x = _______________
P

5.

5
8,

7. (6,0 )

y = _______________

3
6. 2,
2

II. Rectangular Form to Polar Form:

P

(x, y) (r, )
r = _______________

tan _________
MUST PUT IN
CORRECT QUADRANT!

8. (1, -1)

9. (-3, 3)

10. (3.2, 0)

11. (0, -8)

Name ____________________________

Date__________

Period_____

WORKSHEET POLAR COORDINATES

NON-CALCULATOR
Plot each point.

1. A 2,
4

5
2. B 3,
6

3. C 5,
3

4. D 4,
2

5. E 5, 2

6. F 4,
3

Name each point using polar coordinates four ways where -2 2.

7. G = ____________, ____________
____________, ____________
8. H = ____________, ____________
____________, ____________

9. I = ____________, ____________
____________, ____________
10. J = ____________, ____________

G
J
H

____________, ____________

Name each point two ways using

polar coordinates where 2 4.
11. I = ____________, ____________

12. J = ____________, ____________

NON-CALCULATOR
For each point (r, ), give rectangular coordinates (x, y).
2
13. 4,
3

15.

11

10,
6

__________

14. 3,
2

__________

16. 5,
3

__________

__________

For each point (x, y), give polar coordinates (r, ), where is in radians.
17. (-2, 2)

__________

18. (5, 0)

__________

19.

2, 2

21. (0, 12)

__________

20. 3,1

__________

__________

22. (-2, 0)

__________

WARM UP
Plot and label each point:

1)

2)

3)

2,

4,

5
2,

For each point (r, ), give rectangular coordinates (x, y)

4)

5
3,

For each point (x, y), give polar coordinates (r, ), where is in radians.
5)

3, 1

GRAPHS OF SIMPLE POLAR EQUATIONS

Graph each of the following polar equations. Then describe and
sketch each graph in the box below.
Simple Polar Graphs
1. r = a ________________

2. = a ________________

3. rsin = a ______________

4. rcos = a ______________

5. r = asin _______________

6. r = acos _______________

1. r = 3

3. rsin = 2
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
5. r = 4sin

2.
4

4. rcos = 1

6. r = 4cos

Name __________________________ Date_________

Period_______

WORKSHEET SIMPLE POLAR GRAPHS

Non-Calculator
Identify and graph each polar equation.
1. r = 4

_________________

3. r 3 sin _________________

2.

2
3

_________________

4. r sin 4 _________________

3
4

5. r cos _________________

6.

7. r 4 sin _________________

8. r = -5 _________________

9. r cos 2 _________________

10. r 2 cos _________________

_________________

Write the equation for each graph.

11. ________________________

12. _________________________

13. ________________________

14. _________________________

15. ________________________

16. _________________________

Plot each point and write three other polar coordinates for the point where
-2 2.

17. A 3,
2

__________, __________, __________

11
18. B 4,

__________, __________, __________

2

19. C 2,

__________, __________, __________

Warm Up
Write the equation of the following:
1) _____________________

2) _____________________

3) ______________________

4) ______________________

(0, 1)

POLAR GRAPHS: CARDIOIDS AND LIMAONS (-1, 0)

Remember:

2
period
b

and

(1, 0)

period
increments
4

(0, -1)

I. r = a + acos
Make a table and graph:
r = 2 + 2cos

This graph is called a __________________.

Sketch the graph.
1. r = 2 2cos

3. r = 2 2sin

2. r = 2 + 2sin

II. r = a + bcos, a > b

Make a table and graph:
r = 3 + 2cos

This graph is called a ________________________.

Sketch the graph:
4. r = 4 + cos

5. r = 4 + 2cos

III. r = a + bcos, a < b

Make a table and graph:
r = 2 + 4cos

This graph is called a _________________________.

Sketch the graph:
1. r = 3 + 4cos

2. r = 1 + 4cos

CARDIOIDS AND LIMAONS

For all equations: a>0, b> 0
Cardioid

r = a acos
r = a asin

r = a + acos
Limaon (No Loop)
a>b

Limaon (With Loop)

a<b

r = a bcos
r = a bsin

r = a bcos
r = a bsin

r = a + bcos, a > b

r = a + bcos, a < b

Name ____________________________

Date__________

Period_____

WORKSHEET: CARDIOIDS AND LIMACONS

Graph each equation without using a calculator and name the type of
graph.
1. r = 3 + 3sin _________________

2. r = 2 + 3cos __________________

3. r = 5 2sin

4. r = 3 3cos _________________

_________________

5. r = 2 + 5sin _________________

6. r = 2 sin _________________

7. r = 1 + 4sin __________________

8. r = 3sin _________________

9. r = 4 3cos _________________

10. r = 2 + 5sin _________________

11. rcos = -5 _________________

12. r = -6 _________________

13. =

14. r = 1 cos

15. r = 6 + cos _________________

_________________

__________________

For each point (r, ), give rectangular coordinates (x, y).

5
16. 6,
4

__________

17. 10,

__________

For each point (x, y), give two sets of polar coordinates (r, ), where
0 2.
18. (-2, 2 3 )

________________

19. (0, -13.5) ________________

Warm Up

Write the equation of the following:

1) _____________________

2) _____________________

3) ______________________

4) ______________________

POLAR GRAPHS: ROSE CURVES AND LEMNISCATES

I. r = acos(n)
1. Make a table and graph:
r = 4cos(2)

This graph is called a __________________ with _____ petals.

Sketch the graph.
1. r = 3cos(2)

2. r = 2cos(2)

3. r = 4sin(5)

4. r = 5cos(3)

The value of a determines the __________________________.

II. r2 = a2cos(2)
1) r2 = 9cos(2)

2) r2 = 16sin(2)

This graph is called a __________________.

Graph:
3) r2 = 4sin(2)

4) r2 = 25cos(2)

ROSE CURVES AND LEMNISCATES

Rose Curves

r = acos(n)

r = asin(n)

n Even 2n Petals

r = acos(2)

r = asin(2)

n Odd n Petals
r = acos(3)
r = asin(3)

Lemniscates r2 = a2cos(2)

r2 = a2cos(2)

r2 = a2sin(2)

a> 0, n>0

Name ____________________________

Date__________

Period_____

WORKSHEET: ROSE CURVES AND LEMNISCATES

Graph each equation without using a calculator and name the type of
graph. Check your graph on your calculator.
1. r = 3cos3 _________________

2. r = 3sin2 _________________

3. r = 4cos 4 _________________

4. r2 = 9sin2 _________________

5. rcos = 4 _________________

6. r2 = 4cos2 _________________

7. r = 4 cos _________________

8. r = 4sin3 _________________

9. r = 2 _________________

10. r = 2 + 3cos _________________

11.

3
4

_________________

12.

7
_________________
6

14. r = 1 + 3sin _________________

13. rsin = -3 __________________

15. r = 2 2cos _________________

For each point (r, ), give rectangular coordinates (x, y).

3

16. 4.5,
2

__________

17. 2,
3

__________

For each point (x, y), give two sets of polar coordinates (r, ), where
0 2.
18. (3, 3 ) ________________

19. (0, 10) ________________

Name each point using polar coordinates four ways where -2 2.

20. A = ____________, ____________
____________, ____________
21. B = ____________, ____________
____________, ____________

A
B

Warm Up

Write the equation of the following:

1) _____________________

2) _____________________

3) ______________________

4) ______________________

POLAR GRAPHS: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Lines:

=a

rcos = a

rsin = a

Circles:

r=a

r acos

r asin

Cardioids and Limaons:

r a bcos

Rose Curves:

r acosn

r a bsin

Lemniscates:

r asinn

r 2 a2cos2

r 2 a2sin2

Write the equation for each graph.

1. ____________________

2. ____________________

3. ____________________

4. ____________________

Name ____________________________

Date__________

Period_____

WORKSHEET: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Write the equation for each graph.
1. ________________________

2. _________________________

3. ________________________

4. _________________________

5. ________________________

6. _________________________

7. ________________________

8. _________________________

9. ________________________

10. _________________________

11. ________________________

12. _________________________

13. a) Graph r = 3sin3.

b) Find the zeros of r.

Name _____________________________

Date_________

Pd ________

REVIEW 10.7-10.8
POLAR EQUATIONS AND GRAPHS
Plot each point.
7

15. A 2,
4

2. B 3,
3

11

3. C 5,

4. D 4,
2

4
5. E 1,
3

6. F 4,

Name each point using polar coordinates four ways where -2 2.

7. P = ____________, ____________
____________, ____________

8. Q = ____________, ____________
____________, ____________

Name each point two ways using

polar coordinates where 2 4.
9. Q = ____________, ____________

For each point (r, ), give rectangular coordinates (x, y).

7

10. 10,
6

__________

11. 9.5,
2

__________

For each point (x, y), give two sets of polar coordinates (r, ), where
0 2.
12. (5, -5) ______________________

14. 2 3,2 ___________________

13. (-16, 0) ______________________

15. 2, 6 ____________________

Identify and graph each polar equation.

16. r = 1 3sin _________________

17. r = 5sin2 _________________

18. r = 1 4cos _________________

19. rcos = 2 ___________________

20. r = cos ____________________

21. r2 = 25sin2 _________________

22. r = -4sin

23. r = 2 + 2sin __________________

_________________

24.

4
_________________
3

26. r = -2

_________________

25. r = 4cos3 _________________

27. r = 3 + 2cos

_______________

Write the equation for each graph.

28. ________________________

29. _________________________

30. ________________________

31. _________________________

32. ________________________

33. _________________________

Analyzing Polar Equations

34. a) Graph r = 2 + 4sin.

b) Find the zeros of r.

c) When is r = 4?

In addition to the review, make sure to study all homework and notes.