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Old Jun14-09, 10:12 PM                  #1
Entropee

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Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

So I know x=(r)cos(theta)
and y=(r)sin(theta)

As well as r^2 = x^2 + y^2
And (theta)=tan^-1 y/x or sin^-1 y/r or cos^-1 x/r

If I want to convert the polar coordinates (7.6 , 285(degrees)) to rectangular coordinates, to the nearest hundredth, what would I do?

And also if I were converting the rectangular coordinates (2.4 , 1.8) to polar.


So which variable is which in the coords? so i can plug these in and figure them out...
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Old Jun14-09, 11:08 PM                  #2
arildno

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Re: Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

Put the particular values into their appropriate places in the given equations, and solve for/compute the desired quantities.
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Old Jun14-09, 11:14 PM                  #3
Entropee

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Re: Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

Is it (r , theta)
or the other way around
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Old Jun14-09, 11:22 PM                  #4
arildno

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Re: Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

Conventionally, r is the first coordinate.
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Old Jun14-09, 11:40 PM                  #5
Tibarn

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Re: Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

If you're going from polar to rectangular for complex numbers, the x coordinate usually denotes the real part while the y coordinate denotes the imaginary part. Apart from that it's the same thing.
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Old Jun15-09, 12:10 AM                  #6
Entropee

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Re: Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

Thanks guys I think i got it :P
This is the best website ever, cant wait to start college next year :P
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