The polar angle of a point with respect to another

In summary, The polar angle of a point p_0 with respect to point p_1 can be found by calculating the angle of the vector p_1 - p_0. This can also be done using the cross product, which is the magnitude of the product of the distances between the two points and the origin and the sine of the angle between the two points. By using the formula p_0 \times p_1 = |p_o||p_1|sin(\theta), the polar angle can be calculated. However, care must be taken with negative angles obtained from this method.
  • #1
twoflower
368
0
Hi all,

could you please tell me how to count polar angle of a point with respect to another one using cross product?

I know that polar angle of a point [itex]p_0[/itex] with respect to point [itex]p_1[/itex] is the angle of vector [itex]p_1 - p_0[/itex].

For example, polar angle of (3,3) with respect to (2,4) is the angle of (1,-1) which is 315 degrees or [itex]\frac{7 \pi}{4}[/itex] radians.

How to count it using cross product?

Thank you.
 
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  • #2
The crossproduct may be alternately defined as the magnitude of the product of the distances between the two points and the origin and the sine of the angle between the two points.

(in formula, [tex]p_0 \times p_1 = |p_o||p_1|sin(\theta)[/tex])
 
  • #3
vsage said:
The crossproduct may be alternately defined as the magnitude of the product of the distances between the two points and the origin and the sine of the angle between the two points.
(in formula, [tex]p_0 \times p_1 = |p_o||p_1|sin(\theta)[/tex])

Thank you. So, if one of those vector will be that mine [itex]p_1 - p_0[/itex] and the second one in the formula will be (1,0), will be ok to compute the angle from it? (using arcsin function).

Now I tried it on two examples and it works well, I just have to take care of negative angles I get from it.
 

FAQ: The polar angle of a point with respect to another

1. What is the polar angle of a point with respect to another?

The polar angle of a point with respect to another is the angle formed between the line connecting the two points and the horizontal axis of a polar coordinate system. It is also known as the angular coordinate or azimuthal angle.

2. How is the polar angle calculated?

The polar angle is calculated using the inverse tangent function, also known as arctan, of the vertical and horizontal coordinates of the point with respect to the origin. The resulting angle is measured in radians or degrees, depending on the unit of measurement being used.

3. What is the range of values for the polar angle?

The range of values for the polar angle is typically between 0 and 360 degrees, or 0 and 2π radians. However, depending on the specific application, the range may be restricted to a smaller interval, such as 0 to 180 degrees or 0 to π radians.

4. How does the polar angle relate to the Cartesian coordinates of a point?

The polar angle and the Cartesian coordinates of a point are related through a set of trigonometric functions. The cosine of the polar angle is equal to the horizontal coordinate, and the sine of the polar angle is equal to the vertical coordinate. Additionally, the tangent of the polar angle is equal to the ratio of the vertical and horizontal coordinates.

5. In what fields is the concept of polar angle commonly used?

The concept of polar angle is commonly used in fields such as mathematics, physics, and engineering. It is particularly useful in describing the position and orientation of objects in two- or three-dimensional space, as well as in the analysis of wave propagation and motion.

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