Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

In summary, the conversation discusses polar and rectangular coordinates and their conversion equations. The speaker also asks which variable represents which coordinate and receives clarification from others. The conversation ends with the speaker expressing excitement for starting college.
  • #1
Entropee
Gold Member
134
0
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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  • #2
Put the particular values into their appropriate places in the given equations, and solve for/compute the desired quantities.
 
  • #3
Is it (r , theta)
or the other way around
 
  • #4
Conventionally, r is the first coordinate.
 
  • #5
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.
 
  • #6
Thanks guys I think i got it :P
This is the best website ever, can't wait to start college next year :P
 

Related to Converting polar and rectangular coordinates

What is the difference between polar and rectangular coordinates?

Polar coordinates use a distance and an angle to describe a point's location, while rectangular coordinates use an x and y coordinate. Polar coordinates are often used to describe circular patterns, while rectangular coordinates are useful for plotting on a grid.

How do you convert from polar to rectangular coordinates?

To convert from polar to rectangular coordinates, use the formulas x = r cosθ and y = r sinθ, where r is the distance from the origin and θ is the angle measured counterclockwise from the positive x-axis.

How do you convert from rectangular to polar coordinates?

To convert from rectangular to polar coordinates, use the formulas r = √(x² + y²) and θ = arctan(y/x), where r is the distance from the origin and θ is the angle measured counterclockwise from the positive x-axis.

What are some real-world applications of polar and rectangular coordinates?

Polar coordinates are often used in navigation and astronomy to describe the location of objects in space. Rectangular coordinates are useful in engineering and physics to plot graphs and analyze data.

What are the limitations of using polar and rectangular coordinates?

Polar coordinates are limited in their ability to describe points in three-dimensional space, while rectangular coordinates can accurately represent three-dimensional objects. They also have different limitations in terms of precision and accuracy, depending on the specific application.

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