- #1
Destroxia
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Homework Statement
An equation is given in spherical coordinates
## \rho sin(\phi) = 8cos(\theta) ##
Express the equation in rectangular coordinates
a) ## (x-4)^2 + y^2 = 16 ##
b) ## x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 16 ##
c) ## x^2 + (y-4)^2 = 16 ##
Homework Equations
## x = \rho sin \phi cos \theta, y = \rho sin \phi sin \theta, z = \rho cos \phi ##
## \rho = \sqrt {x^2 + y ^2 + z^2}, tan \theta = \frac y x, cos \phi = \frac {z} {\sqrt {x^2 + y^2 + z^2} } ##
The Attempt at a Solution
Everytime I try to do this problem, I cannot get any of the clean answers is has in the multiple choice.
In the relevant equations above, I plug in the ##\rho## for the ##\rho##, solve for ##\theta## and ##\phi## and plug those in as well, and I get this giant mess of an equation that has no means of simplifying down further.
I've tried using trigonometric identities and such to simplify, but I don't think I understand exactly what it wants me to do.
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