Consider an object moving in two-dimensional space (the plane) whose position at time t has coordinates (x(t), y(t)). The equations x = x(t), y = y(t) are called parametric equations -- t in this case is the parameter. A plot showing these coordinates as time varies will trace the path of the object.
Example: x = t, y = t 2 , -2 £ t £ 2
ParametricPlot@8t, t^2<, 8t, -2, 2<, AxesLabel ® 8"x", "y"<D
-2 -1 1 2 x
1 2 3 4 y
Manipulate@ParametricPlot@8t, t ^ 2<,8t,-2, s<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange®88-2, 2<,80, 4<<, AxesOrigin®80, 0<D,8s,-1.999, 2, .1<D
Example: x = 1 - t, y = 1 - 2 t + t 2 , -1 £ t £ 3
ParametricPlot@81 - t, 1 - 2 t + t^2<, 8t, -1, 3<, AxesLabel ® 8"x", "y"<D
-2 -1 1 2 x
1 2 3 4 y
Manipulate@ParametricPlot@81-t, 1-2 t+t ^ 2<,8t,-1, s<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange®88-2, 2<,80, 4<<, AxesOrigin®80, 0<D,8s,-.999, 3, .1<D
Example: x = 1
4 t 3 - t, y = t - 1, -¥ £ t £ ¥
ParametricPlot@8H1 4L t^3 - t, t - 1<, 8t, -3, 3<, AxesLabel ® 8"x", "y"<D
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3 x
-4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 y
Manipulate@ParametricPlot@8H14Lt ^ 3-t, t-1<,8t,-3, s<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange®88-4, 4<,8-4, 4<<, AxesOrigin®80, 0<D,8s,-2.999, 3, .1<D
Example: x = 2 cos Θ, y = 3 sin Θ, 0 £ t £ 2 Π
ParametricPlot@82 Cos@tD, 3 Sin@tD<, 8t, 0, 2 Π<,
AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange ® 88-3, 3<, 8-3, 3<<D
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3 x
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3 y
Manipulate@ParametricPlot@82 Cos@tD, 3 Sin@tD<,8t, 0, s<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange®88-3, 3<,8-3, 3<<, AxesOrigin®80, 0<D,8s, .001, 2Π, .1<D
Example (Cycloid): x = Θ - sin Θ, y = 1 - cos Θ, 0 £ t £ 4 Π
ParametricPlot@8t - Sin@tD, 1 - Cos@tD<, 8t, 0, 4 Π<,
AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange ® 880, 14<, 80, 3<<, AspectRatio ® 3 14D
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14x
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 y
Manipulate@ParametricPlot@8t-Sin@tD, 1-Cos@tD<,
8t, 0, s<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange®880, 14<,80, 3<<, AspectRatio®314, AxesOrigin®80, 0<D,8s, .001, 4Π, .1<D
Example (Projectile): x = H v 0 cos Θ L t, y = h + H v 0 sin Θ L t - 1
2 g t 2 , 0 £ t
Example (Projectile): x = H v 0 cos Θ L t, y = h + H v 0 sin Θ L t - 1
2 g t 2 , 0 £ t
g= 32;
h= 10;
v0= 20;
Θ = Π 3;
ParametricPlot@8v0Cos@ΘD t, h + v0Sin@ΘD t - H1 2L g t^2<, 8t, 0, 4<,
AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange ® 880, 20<, 80, 20<<, AspectRatio ® 1, PlotStyle ® ThickD
0 5 10 15 20x
0 5 10 15 20 y
Manipulate@ParametricPlot@8v0Cos@ΘDt, h+v0Sin@ΘDt-H12Lg t ^ 2<, 8t, 0, s<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<, PlotRange®880, 20<,80, 20<<, AspectRatio®1, PlotStyle®ThickD,8s, .001, 4, .01<D
Polar Coordinates
Some Polar Plots
r = 2
Clear@r,ΘD
PolarPlot@2,8Θ, 0, 2Π<, PlotRange®88-3, 3<,8-3, 3<<, PlotStyle®ThickD
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
r=2;
ParametricPlot@8r Cos@ΘD, r Sin@ΘD<,8Θ, 0, 2Π<, PlotRange®88-3, 3<,8-3, 3<<, PlotStyle®ThickD Clear@
rD
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
Θ = Π 4
Θ = Π4;
ParametricPlot@8r Cos@ΘD, r Sin@ΘD<,8r,-5, 5<, PlotRange®88-3, 3<,8-3, 3<<, PlotStyle®ThickD Clear@
ΘD
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3
r sin Θ = 3
Clear@r,ΘD
PolarPlot@3Sin@ΘD,8Θ,- Π,Π<, PlotRange®88-5, 5<,8-5, 5<<, PlotStyle®ThickD
-4 -2 2 4
-4 -2 2 4
r = 3 sin Θ
PolarPlot@3 Sin@ΘD,8Θ, 0,Π<, PlotRange®88-5, 5<,8-5, 5<<, PlotStyle®ThickD
-4 -2 2 4
-4 -2 2 4
A More Complicated Graph: r = 1 + 2 cos Θ
Table of Values
TableForm@Table@8Θ, 1+2 Cos@ΘD<,8Θ, 0, 2Π,Π12<D, TableHeadings®8None,8Θ, r<<D
Θ r
0 3
Π
12 1+1+ 3
2 Π
6 1+ 3
Π
4 1+ 2
Π
3 2
5Π
12 1+-1+ 3
2 Π
2 1
7Π
12 1--1+ 3
2 2Π
3 0
3Π
4 1- 2
5Π
6 1- 3
11Π
12 1-1+ 3
2
Π -1
13Π
12 1-1+ 3
2 7Π
6 1- 3
5Π
4 1- 2
4Π
3 0
17Π
12 1--1+ 3
2 3Π
2 1
19Π
12 1+-1+ 3
2 5Π
3 2
7Π
4 1+ 2
11Π
6 1+ 3
23Π
12 1+1+ 3
2
2Π 3
Polar Graph Paper
g1=PolarPlot@Table@r,8r, 0, 3, 12<D,8Θ, 0, 2Π<,
PlotRange®88-3.5, 3.5<,8-3.5, 3.5<<, PlotStyle®8Black<, Axes®NoneD; g2=ParametricPlot@Table@8r Cos@ΘD, r Sin@ΘD<,8Θ, 0, 2Π,Π12<D,
8r,-3, 3<, PlotRange®88-3.5, 3.5<,8-3.5, 3.5<<, PlotStyle®BlackD;
g3=Show@g1, g2, Epilog®8Text@Style@"1", 16D,81,-.2<D, Text@Style@"2", 16D,82,-.2<D, Text@Style@"3", 16D,83,-.2<D, Text@Style@"0", 16D,83.2, 0<D,
Text@Style@"Π2", 16D,80, 3.2<D, Text@Style@"Π", 16D,8-3.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"3Π2", 16D,80,-3.2<D<, ImageSize®500D
1 2 3 0
Π 2
Π
3Π 2
Plot Points
g4=ListPolarPlot@
Table@8Θ, 1+2 Cos@ΘD<,8Θ, 0, 2Π,Π12<D, PlotStyle®8PointSize@LargeD<D;
Show@g1, g2, g4, Epilog®8Text@Style@"1", 16D,81,-.2<D, Text@Style@"2", 16D,82,-.2<D, Text@Style@"3", 16D,83,-.2<D, Text@Style@"0", 16D,83.2, 0<D,
Text@Style@"Π2", 16D,80, 3.2<D, Text@Style@"Π", 16D,8-3.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"3Π2", 16D,80,-3.2<D<, ImageSize®500D
1 2 3 0
Π 2
Π
3Π 2
Connect the Dots
g5=PolarPlot@1+2 Cos@ΘD,8Θ, 0, 2Π<, PlotStyle®8Thick<D; Show@g1, g2, g4, g5,
Epilog®8Text@Style@"1", 16D,81,-.2<D, Text@Style@"2", 16D,82,-.2<D, Text@Style@"3", 16D,83,-.2<D, Text@Style@"0", 16D,83.2, 0<D,
Text@Style@"Π2", 16D,80, 3.2<D, Text@Style@"Π", 16D,8-3.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"3Π2", 16D,80,-3.2<D<, ImageSize®500D
1 2 3 0
Π 2
Π
3Π 2
Without the Graph Paper
g5
0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
-1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.5 1.0 1.5
Animation!
Manipulate@PolarPlot@1+2 Cos@ΘD,8Θ, 0, s<,
PlotRange®88-3, 3<,8-3, 3<<, PlotStyle®8Thick<D,8s, .01, 2Π<D
Another Complicated Graph: r = 4 cos Θ
Table of Values
TableForm@Table@8Θ, 4 Cos@ΘD<,8Θ, 0,Π,Π12<D, TableHeadings®8None,8Θ, r<<D
Θ r
0 4
Π
12 2 J1+ 3N
Π
6 2 3
Π
4 2 2
Π
3 2
5Π
12 2 J-1+ 3N
Π
2 0
7Π
12 - 2 J-1+ 3N
2Π
3 -2
3Π
4 -2 2
5Π
6 -2 3
11Π
12 - 2 J1+ 3N
Π -4
Plot the Points
g1=PolarPlot@Table@r,8r, 0, 4, 12<D,8Θ, 0, 2Π<,
PlotRange®88-4.5, 4.5<,8-4.5, 4.5<<, PlotStyle®8Black<, Axes®NoneD; g2=ParametricPlot@Table@8r Cos@ΘD, r Sin@ΘD<,8Θ, 0, 2Π,Π12<D,8r, 0, 4<,
PlotRange®88-4.5, 4.5<,8-4.5, 4.5<<, PlotStyle®BlackD; g4=
ListPolarPlot@Table@8Θ, 4 Cos@ΘD<,8Θ, 0, 2Π,Π12<D, PlotStyle®8PointSize@LargeD<D; Show@g1, g2, g4, Epilog®8Text@Style@"1", 16D,81,-.2<D, Text@Style@"2", 16D,82,-.2<D,
Text@Style@"3", 16D,83,-.2<D, Text@Style@"4", 16D,84,-.2<D, Text@Style@"0", 16D,84.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"Π2", 16D,80, 4.2<D,
Text@Style@"Π", 16D,8-4.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"3Π2", 16D,80,-4.2<D<, ImageSize®500D
1 2 3 4 0
Π 2
Π
3Π 2
Connect the Dots
g5=PolarPlot@4 Cos@ΘD,8Θ, 0, 2Π<, PlotStyle®8Thick<D; Show@g1, g2, g4, g5,
Epilog®8Text@Style@"1", 16D,81,-.2<D, Text@Style@"2", 16D,82,-.2<D, Text@Style@"3", 16D,83,-.2<D, Text@Style@"4", 16D,84,-.2<D,
Text@Style@"0", 16D,84.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"Π2", 16D,80, 4.2<D,
Text@Style@"Π", 16D,8-4.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"3Π2", 16D,80,-4.2<D<, ImageSize®500D
1 2 3 4 0
Π 2
Π
3Π 2
Animation
Manipulate@PolarPlot@4 Cos@ΘD,8Θ, 0, s<,
PlotRange®88-4, 4<,8-4, 4<<, PlotStyle®8Thick<D,8s, .01, 2Π<D
Interesection Points of r = 1 + 2 cos Θ and r = 4 cos Θ
Connect the Dots
g5=PolarPlot@81+2 Cos@ΘD, 4 Cos@ΘD<,
8Θ, 0, 2Π<, PlotStyle®88Thick, Red<,8Thick, Blue<<D;
Show@g1, g2, g5, Epilog®8Text@Style@"1", 16D,81,-.2<D, Text@Style@"2", 16D,82,-.2<D, Text@Style@"3", 16D,83,-.2<D, Text@Style@"4", 16D,84,-.2<D,
Text@Style@"0", 16D,84.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"Π2", 16D,80, 4.2<D,
Text@Style@"Π", 16D,8-4.2, 0<D, Text@Style@"3Π2", 16D,80,-4.2<D<, ImageSize®500D
1 2 3 4 0
Π 2
Π
3Π 2
Solve@1+2 Cos@ΘD 4 Cos@ΘD,ΘD
Solve::ifun : Inverse functions are being used by Solve,
so some solutions may not be found; use Reduce for complete solution information.
::Θ ® -Π
3>,:Θ ® Π 3>>
Manipulate@PolarPlot@81+2 Cos@ΘD, 4 Cos@ΘD<,8Θ, 0, s<,
PlotRange®88-4, 4<,8-4, 4<<, PlotStyle®88Thick, Red<,8Thick, Blue<<D,8s, .01, 2Π<D
Polar Plots as Parametric Plots: r = 4 cos Θ
ParametricPlot@84 Cos@tD^ 2, 4 Cos@tDSin@tD<,8t, 0, 2Π<, PlotStyle®ThickD
1 2 3 4
-2 -1 1 2
Vectors and Vector-Valued Functions
The Resultant
m1=2;
m2=3;
Θ1= Π3;
Θ2= Π4;
F1=m18Cos@Θ1D, Sin@Θ1D<
F2=m28Cos@Θ2D, Sin@Θ2D<
Show@Graphics@8Arrow@880, 0<, F1<D, Arrow@880, 0<, F2<D, Red, Arrow@880, 0<, F1+F2<D, Black, Text@Style@"F1", Bold, Italic, FontFamily®"Arial", 16D, F12,81,-1<D, Text@Style@"F2", Bold, Italic, FontFamily®"Arial", 16D, F22,8-2, 0<D, Red,
Text@Style@"F1+F2", Bold, Italic, FontFamily®"Arial", 16D, 2HF1+F2L 3,81.5, 0<D <D, PlotRange®880, 4<,80, 4<<, Axes®True, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<D
:1, 3>
: 3 2
, 3
2
>
F
1F
2F
1+F
20 1 2 3 4 x
0 1 2 3 4 y
Norm@F1+F2D N 4.95894
HF1+F2L Norm@F1+F2D N 80.629433, 0.777055<
ArcCos@HHF1+F2L Norm@F1+F2DL@@1DDD N 0.889973
ArcCos@HHF1+F2L Norm@F1+F2DL@@1DDD180 Π N 50.9917
Example: r H t L = H 1 - t L i + H 2 + 2 t L j
Manipulate@Show@Graphics@8PointSize@LargeD, Point@81-t, 2+2 t<D<D, Axes®True, PlotRange®88-10, 10<,8-10, 10<<D,8t,-3, 3<D
Manipulate@
Show@Graphics@8PointSize@LargeD, Point@81-t, 2+2 t<D, Arrow@880, 0<,81-t, 2+2 t<<D<D, Axes®True, PlotRange®88-10, 10<,8-10, 10<<D,8t,-3, 3<D
ParametricPlot@81-t, 2+2 t<,8t,-10, 10<,
PlotRange®88-3, 3<,8-3, 3<<, PlotStyle®8Blue, Thick<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<D
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3 x
-3 -2 -1 1 2 3 y
Example: r H t L = cos t i + sin t j
Manipulate@Show@Graphics@8PointSize@LargeD, Point@8Cos@tD, Sin@tD<D<D, Axes®True, PlotRange®88-1, 1<,8-1, 1<<D,8t, 0, 2Π<D
Manipulate@Show@Graphics@
8PointSize@LargeD, Point@8Cos@tD, Sin@tD<D, Arrow@880, 0<,8Cos@tD, Sin@tD<<D<D, Axes®True, PlotRange®88-1, 1<,8-1, 1<<D,8t, 0, 2Π<D
ParametricPlot@8Cos@tD, Sin@tD<,8t, 0, 2Π<,
PlotRange®88-1, 1<,8-1, 1<<, PlotStyle®8Blue, Thick<, AxesLabel®8"x", "y"<D
-1.0 -0.5 0.5 1.0x
-1.0 -0.5 0.5 1.0 y