Unit 10.3 Math 152

The Polar Coordinate system

  • We chose a point in a plane that is called the pole and is labeled O.

    • Then we draw a ray starting from O called the polar axis (Usually corresponds to the positive x-axis)
      • if point P is any other point in the plane, let r be the distance from O to P and let be the angle between the polar axis and the line OP
          • This point is represented by the order pair and are called polar coordinates of P.
    • We extend the meaning of polar coordinates to the case which r is negitive by agreeing that the points and lie on the same line through O the same radius from O but opposite