(r,

θ )
 We are going to look at a
You are familiar with new coordinate system
plotting with a rectangular called the polar
coordinate system. coordinate system.
The center of the graph is Angles are measured from
called the pole. the positive x axis.

Points are
represented by a
radius and an angle
radius

(r,
To θ
plot )
the point
 π
 5, 
 4
First find the angle

Then move out along

the terminal side 5
A negative angle would be measured clockwise like usual.
 3π 
 3,− 
 4 
To plot a point
with a negative
radius, find the
terminal side of
the angle but then
measure from the
pole in the
negative direction
of the terminal
side.
 2π 
 − 4, 
 3 
Let's plot the following points:  π  π
 7,   − 7, − 
 2  2

 5π   3π 
 7,   7, − 
 2   2 

Notice unlike in the

rectangular
coordinate system,
there are many
ways to list the
same point.
Let's take a point in the rectangular coordinate system
and convert it to the polar coordinate system.

(3, 4) Based on the trig you

know can you see
r how to find r and θ ?
4
θ 3 +4 =r
2 2 2

3
r=5
4
tan θ =
3
We'll find θ in
radians 4
polar coordinates are: (5, 0.93) θ = tan   = 0.93
−1

3
Let's generalize this to find formulas for converting from
rectangular to polar coordinates.

(x, y)
x +y =r
2 2 2

r
y
θ r= x +y 2 2

x
y
tan θ =
x
 y
θ = tan   −1

x
 Now let's go the other way, from polar to rectangular
coordinates.
Based on the trig you
know can you see
 π how to find x and y?
 4, 
π x
 4

4π y cos =
x
4
4 4
 2
x = 4 =2 2

 2 
π y
sin =
rectangular coordinates are: 4 4
 2 2  2
 , 
 2 2  y = 4 =2 2

   2 
Let's generalize the conversion from polar to rectangular
coordinates.

x
cos θ =
r
( r ,θ )
r x = r cos θ
θy
x
y
sin θ =
r

y = r sin θ
Polar coordinates can also be given with the angle in
degrees.

120°
90°
60°
(8, 210°)
135° 45°

150° 30°

180°
(6, -120°)
0°

210°
315°
330°
(-5, 300°)
225°
300°
240°
270°

(-3, 540°)
 Convert the rectangular coordinate system equation to a
polar coordinate system equation.
From conversions, how
x + y =± 9
2 2 r= x +y 2 2
r = ±3
was r related to x 2 and y 2 ?
Here each r
unit is 1/2 and
we went out 3
and did all
angles.

r must be ± 3 but there is

Before we do the conversion no restriction on θ so
let's look at the graph. consider all values.
Convert the rectangular coordinate system equation to a
polar coordinate system equation.
x = 4y
2

What are the polar conversions substitute in for

we found for x and y? x and y

x = r cos θ
( r cos θ ) 2
= 4( r sin θ )
y = r sin θ
r cos θ = 4r sin θ
2 2

We wouldn't recognize what this equation looked like

in polar coordinates but looking at the rectangular
equation we'd know it was a parabola.
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 Stephen’s School – Carramar
www.ststephens.wa.edu.au