Finding coordinates of a point in a circle with angle

In summary, the conversation is about finding a point using x, y, distance, and angle, and applying it in a 3D environment without using the third dimension. The person asking is knowledgeable in programming but needed help with applying the method. They were having trouble with their code producing incorrect results, but it turned out to be a problem with using radians instead of degrees for the angle.
  • #1
AlicanC
3
0
I have a point (x,y), a distance (d) and an angle (a). I need a method to find a point using x,y,d and a. For example:
http://c.imagehost.org/0836/03082008299.png
I will apply this on a 3D environment, but I am not going to use the 3rd dimension so it's safe.
This is also about programming, but I am capable of applying methods in the programming language so I asked it here.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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  • #2
[tex]
(x_?,y_?) = (x+d\cos\alpha,y+d\sin\alpha)
[/tex]
 
  • #3
Thanks for the answer, but I have a problem. I wrote some code to put this in action. The code starts from "0" and adds "20" to the angle until the vaule is greater than to "360". I don't know why but the code produced this:
http://c.imagehost.org/0346/2008-08-03_092702.png
As you can see there are some mistakes. All are getting repeated but the ones I marked. Here is the debug output I get:
(1) Center of the circle located at (-49.013168, -1082.446166)
(1) Drawing at (50.986831, -1082.446166) Angle is 0.000000
(1) Drawing at (-8.204959, -991.151611) Angle is 20.000000
(1) Drawing at (-115.706977, -1007.934875) Angle is 40.000000
(1) Drawing at (-144.254455, -1112.927246) Angle is 60.000000
(1) Drawing at (-60.051891, -1181.835083) Angle is 80.000000
(1) Drawing at (37.218719, -1133.082763) Angle is 100.000000
(1) Drawing at (32.404930, -1024.385009) Angle is 120.000000
(1) Drawing at (-68.794525, -984.422180) Angle is 140.000000
(1) Drawing at (-146.576110, -1060.503662) Angle is 160.000000
(1) Drawing at (-108.859176, -1162.561401) Angle is 180.000000
(1) Drawing at (-0.294399, -1169.775878) Angle is 200.000000
(1) Drawing at (50.595352, -1073.606323) Angle is 220.000000
(1) Drawing at (-16.435035, -987.901672) Angle is 240.000000
(1) Drawing at (-122.032585, -1014.122192) Angle is 260.000000
(1) Drawing at (-141.187133, -1121.227050) Angle is 280.000000
(1) Drawing at (-51.222831, -1182.421752) Angle is 300.000000
(1) Drawing at (41.357345, -1125.261718) Angle is 320.000000
(1) Drawing at (26.953659, -1017.415100) Angle is 340.000000
(1) Drawing at (-77.382278, -986.554565) Angle is 360.000000
As you can see some values are too close. I am really bad at trigonometry, so I can't find the problem.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #4
The center is at (-49, -1082) and your first point, with the angle, 0 is at
(51, -1082) then radius, d, is 100.

So, when the angle is 20 the point should be
[tex]100(\cos(20)) + -49 \approx 45[/tex]
[tex]100(\sin(20))+ -1082 \approx -1048[/tex]

But you have:

Drawing at (-8.204959, -991.151611) Angle is 20.000000

*Could you be in radians instead of degrees?
 
  • #5
futurebird said:
Could you be in radians instead of degrees?
Ah, you are right! I was making calculations with radians.

Thank you both so much! I was trying to figure this out for two days! Normally I post my questions to forums related to coding or just ask my friends, but can't get an answer :D
 
  • #6
futurebird said:
Could you be in radians instead of degrees?
Always a problem if you forget. When I get errors like that, the first thing I do is to check the mode on my calculator. Lol.
 

1. What is the formula for finding the coordinates of a point in a circle with an angle?

The formula for finding the coordinates of a point in a circle with an angle is (x,y) = (r*cosθ, r*sinθ), where r is the radius of the circle and θ is the angle in radians.

2. How do I determine the angle in radians?

To determine the angle in radians, you can use the formula θ = (π/180) * α, where θ is the angle in radians and α is the angle in degrees.

3. Can I use this formula for any point in the circle?

Yes, this formula can be used for any point in the circle as long as you know the radius and the angle in radians.

4. What if the angle is in degrees instead of radians?

If the angle is in degrees, you can convert it to radians by using the formula θ = (π/180) * α, where θ is the angle in radians and α is the angle in degrees.

5. How can I use this formula in real-world applications?

This formula can be used in various real-world applications, such as in geometry and physics, to determine the position of an object or point on a circle. It can also be used in computer programming to create graphics or animations involving circles.

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