Understanding Polar Coordinates

You will be able to provide one or more of these skills for

your group today
What are Polar Coordinates?
Graphing in Polar Mode

Formulating Equations

Sketching Graphs by Hand

Stick-with-it-ness

Unit Circle

Converting P

R Slope for Polar Equations

Learning the Nspire Calculator Special Types of Polar Graphs

Roles
RM - Team Questions, Make sure everyone has supplies, Organize clean up
Captain - Make sure everyone does each step together, Read task card steps carefully
RR - Make sure everyone does all the work, Make sure everyone is completes an exit ticket,
Facilitator - Watch the time for completion, Keep the group moving, QS

Understanding Polar Coordinates

Understanding Polar Coordinates

Supplies: Nspire calculator, Pencil, Notebook paper for exit ticket, and Polar graph paper for each person.
Final Product:

Exit Ticket

Complete an exit ticket demonstrating all solutions for all tasks.

Task 1: Basic Polar Graphing

1. Graphing in polar mode is similar to working with the unit circle.

(x , y )
2. You begin at the origin like rectangular coordinates,
.
5
( 3, )
6 However, polar coordinates are (r , ) , where r is the
3.

straight-line distance from the origin to the point (a radius) and is

the angle from the right side of the x-axis. Examples are at the
4. Using your polar graph paper, graph the following points:
5
7
( 2, ) (0,
)
3 ,
6
and ( 1, 1.57) .

Task 2: Polar

Rectangular

1. The triangle picture at the right demonstrates the relationship between x, y, r and .
(x , y ) .
2. If you have (r , ) , then determine the formulas to calculate
(x , y ) , then determine the formulas to calculate (r , ) .
3. If you have

(r , ) ( 3, )
6 , then calculate the (x , y ) equivalent.
4. If
(x , y ) ( 1,1) , then calculate the (r , ) equivalent.
5. If
6. Check-in with your teacher at this "point".

right.

Understanding Polar Coordinates

Task 3: Sketching Polar Graphs

1. One way to sketch a polar equation is to convert to rectangular coordinates.
2. Another option is to stay in polar mode, build a table, and then graph the points.
3. Using a table as shown at the right, polar graph paper, and following
the steps given, graph r 2cos3 , by hand.
4. Next, graph r 2cos3 on your graphing calculator.

Task 4: Calculating Slopes of Tangents in Polar Coordinates

1. Important special features:
dy dy / d

a. dx dx / d , similar to the parametric form of 1st

derivative.

dy
0
b. When d
, you will have a horizontal line.
dx
0
d

c. Likewise, when
, you will have a vertical line.
2. Graph r 2(1 cos ) on your graphing calculator.
3. Find the polar coordinates for the horizontal and vertical tangents of this cardioid.
There are 5 total.

Task 5: Identifying Special Types of Polar Graphs

Sketch then identify the names of the following polar graphs. See page 737 in your text.

2
2
3

Understanding Polar Coordinates