PARAMETRIC

Q
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( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
. a called is variable The
curve. the of called are
equations The . a called is
, ,
by defined points of collection The
. interval some is domain common whose functions two are
and where , and Let
parameter
equations parametric
curve plane
t
t g y t f x
t g t f y x
I
g f t g y t f x
= =
=
= =
The variable t (the parameter) often represents time. We
can picture this like a particle moving along and we know
its x position over time and its y position over time and
we figure out each of these and plot them together to see
the movement of the particle.
0 ; 4 , 2 > = = t t y t x
Graph the plane curve represented by the parametric equations
We'll make a chart and
choose some t values
and find the
corresponding x and y
values.
t
x
y
0
( ) 0 0 2 = ( ) 0 0 4 =
The t values we pick must
be greater than or equal to
0. Let's start with 0.
( ) y x,
( ) 0 , 0
1
( ) 4 . 1 1 2 ~ ( ) 4 1 4 = ( ) 4 , 2
( ) 0 , 0
( ) 4 , 2
2
( ) 2 2 2 = ( ) 8 2 4 =
( ) 8 , 2
3
( ) 4 . 2 3 2 ~ ( ) 12 3 4 =
( ) 8 , 2
( ) 12 , 6
( ) 12 , 6
We see the "path" of the
particle. The orientation is the
direction it would be moving
over time (shown by the arrows)
0 ; 4 , 2 > = = t t y t x
We could take these parametric equations and find an
equivalent rectangular equation with substitution. This
is called "eliminating the parameter."
Solve for the parameter t in one
of equations (whichever one is
easier).
( ) 0 , 0
( ) 4 , 2
( ) 8 , 2
( ) 12 , 6
4
y
t =
Substitute for t in the other
equation.
|
.
|

\
|
=
4
2
y
x
2
2
y
x =
2
2
y x =
2
2
We recognize this as a
parabola opening up. Since
our domain for t started at 0,
it is only the right half.
t 2 0 ; sin 4 , cos 2 s s = = t t y t x
Graph the plane curve represented by the parametric equations
t
x
y
0
2 0 cos 2 =
0 0 sin 4 =
The t values we
pick must be
from 0 to 2 t
( ) y x,
( ) 0 , 2
2
4
cos 2 =
t
2 2
4
sin 4 =
t
( ) 2 2 , 2
( ) 4 , 0
( ) 0 , 2
Make the orientation
arrows based where the
curve was as t increased.
4
t
2
t
0
2
cos 2 =
t
4
2
sin 4 =
t
t
2 cos 2 = t 0 sin 4 = t
2
3t
0
2
3
cos 2 =
t
4
2
3
sin 4 =
t
( ) 4 , 0
4
5t
2
4
5
cos 2 =
t
2 2
4
5
sin 4 =
t
( ) 2 2 , 2
You could fill in with more
points to better see the curve.
t 2 0 ; sin 4 , cos 2 s s = = t t y t x
Let's eliminate the parameter. Based on our curve we'd expect to
get the equation of an ellipse.
When you want to eliminate
the parameter and you have
trig functions, it is not easy to
solve for t. Instead you solve
for cos t and sin t and
substitute them in the
Pythagorean Identity:
1 cos sin
2 2
= + t t
2 2 4 4
t
x
t
y
cos
2
sin
4
: above From = =
1
2 4
2 2
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
x y
1
4 16
2 2
= +
x y
Here is the rectangular
version of our ellipse.
You can see it matches!
When you then enter a
graph, it will have t for
the variable and you
can enter more than
one equation.
Your Casio graphic calculator can plot parametric equations.
Select Graph mode and check that Type is set to Parm.
If you watch as it draws the
graph, you will see the
orientation (direction) of the
curve.
If an object is dropped, thrown, launched etc. at a
certain angle and has gravity acting upon it, the
equations for its position at time t can be written as:
( )t v x
o
u cos =
( ) h t v gt y
o
+ + = u sin
2
1
2
horizontal position initial velocity
angle measured from horizontal
time
gravitational constant which
is 9.8 m/s
2

initial height
vertical position
( )t v x
o
u cos =
( ) h t v gt y
o
+ + = u sin
2
1
2
Adam throws a tennis ball off a cliff, 300 metres high
with an initial speed of 40 metres per second at an angle
of 45 to the horizontal. Find the parametric equations
that describe the position of the ball at time t.
( ) ( ) 300 45 sin 40 8 . 9
2
1
2
+ + = t t y
( )t x = 45 cos 40
How long is the ball in the air?
When the ball hits the ground, the
vertical position y will be 0.
300 28 . 28 9 . 4 0
2
+ + = t t
300 28 . 28 9 . 4
2
+ + = t t y
t x 28 . 28 =
use the quadratic formula
sec 23 . 11 or 45 . 5 = t
The negative time value doesn't make sense so we throw it out.
Adam throws a tennis ball off a cliff, 300 metres high
with an initial speed of 40 metres per second at an angle
of 45 to the horizontal. Find the parametric equations
that describe the position of the ball at time t.
When is the ball at its
maximum height?
The motion is parabolic (opening down)
so maximum will be at the turning point.
300 28 . 28 9 . 4
2
+ + = t t y
t x 28 . 28 =
a
b
t
2
TP of value =
( )
sec 89 . 2
9 . 4 2
28 . 28
~

=
What is the maximum height?
( ) ( ) 300 89 . 2 28 . 28 89 . 2 9 . 4
2
+ + = y
metres 8 . 340 ~
Adam throws a tennis ball off a cliff, 300 meters high
with an initial speed of 40 meters per second at an angle
of 45 to the horizontal. Find the parametric equations
that describe the position of the ball at time t.
Determine the horizontal distance the ball traveled.
Use time in air from first part of problem.
300 28 . 28 9 . 4
2
+ + = t t y
t x 28 . 28 =
( ) 23 . 11 28 . 28 = x metres 6 . 317 ~
Acknowledgement

I wish to thank Shawna Haider from Salt Lake Community College, Utah
USA for her hard work in creating this PowerPoint.

www.slcc.edu

Shawna has kindly given permission for this resource to be downloaded
from www.mathxtc.com and for it to be modified to suit the Western
Australian Mathematics Curriculum.



Stephen Corcoran
Head of Mathematics
St Stephens School Carramar
www.ststephens.wa.edu.au