Max/Min Polar Curve Values: r = 3 + sin \theta

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The discussion revolves around finding the maximum and minimum curvature values of the polar curve r = 3 + sin(θ). Participants express confusion about deriving the curvature and determining extrema. The curvature formula is provided, but some users are unfamiliar with vector calculus concepts. A suggestion is made to differentiate the curve and set the derivative equal to zero to find extrema. Overall, there is a need for clarification on the methods to find curvature and its extrema in the context of polar coordinates.
trap
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any clue?
Determine maximum and minimum values of the curvature at points of the polar curve r = 3 + sin \theta .
 
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1. Find the curvature of the curve.
2. Use either intuition or calculus to find the extrema of the curvature.
Which step are you having trouble with ?
 
so do I derive the curve and let it equal to zero to find the maximum? how about the minimum? also...I don't really get how do you find the curvature of the curve?
 
trap said:
so do I derive the curve and let it equal to zero to find the maximum? how about the minimum? also...I don't really get how do you find the curvature of the curve?

\kappa=\frac{\left|\mathbf{r}'\times\mathbf{r}''\right|}{\left|\mathbf{r}'\right|^{3}}

here you can say r=<θ, 3+sinθ>
 
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apmcavoy said:
\kappa=\frac{\left|\mathbf{r}&#039;\times\mathbf{r}&#039;&#039;\right|}{\left|\mathbf{r}&#039;\right|^{3}}

here you can say r=<θ, 3+sinθ>

Sorry...I don't really get what you just typed, coz I don't think I have learned those in my course. We are currently doing parametric equations and polar coordinates. Is there an other approach to the question?
 
trap said:
Sorry...I don't really get what you just typed, coz I don't think I have learned those in my course. We are currently doing parametric equations and polar coordinates. Is there an other approach to the question?

What I just typed was the vector form. Do you know about vectors from a previous course? Maybe precalc.?
 
trap said:
so do I derive the curve and let it equal to zero to find the maximum? how about the minimum? also...I don't really get how do you find the curvature of the curve?
See Mathworld - Curvature. You're probably looking for the extrinsic curvature of a curve in the plane.
 
apmcavoy said:
What I just typed was the vector form. Do you know about vectors from a previous course? Maybe precalc.?

no...we are not learning vectors
 
hypermorphism said:
See Mathworld - Curvature. You're probably looking for the extrinsic curvature of a curve in the plane.

yeah, something about the parametric, cartesian, polar equations are what we are learning. But I still don't get how to find the 'maximum' and 'minimum' values of the curvature.
 
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trap said:
yeah, something about the parametric, cartesian, polar equations are what we are learning. But I still don't get how to find the 'maximum' and 'minimum' values of the curvature.

Differentiate and set equal to zero!
 
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