Applied Mathematics 144

Tutorial 1

27 July 2015

Question 1: Dimensions and SI-units

1. Give the dimensions and the answers in SI-units of the following:
(a)

(800 mm3 )(0.2 cm)

10 dm2

(b)

684 m
43 ms

(c)

6 ft.h1
12 min

(1 ft = 0.3048 m)

(To prevent ambiguity: multiplication of units is indicated with a dot.)

Question 2: Coordinate systems and sketches

2. Consider concurrent polar coordinate and rectangular Cartesian coordinate systems.
(a) Plot the points with the following polar coordinates and determine the corresponding Cartesian
coordinates:

5
(ii) (2 2; )
(iii) (3;
)
(iv) (3; 2).
(i) (3; 4 )
3
4
Are the polar coordinates of a point uniquely defined?
(b) Plot the points with the following Cartesian coordinates and determine their polar coordinates so
that r > 0 and 0 2:
(i) (2; 3)
(ii) (4; 4).
(c) Plot the points with the following Cartesian coordinates and determine their polar coordinates so
that 2 2 and r IR:

( 2; 2 2).

3. (a) Consider two points A(x1 ; y1 ) and B(x2 ; y2 ) in a rectangular Cartesian system. Determine a
formula for the shortest distance between the two points.
(b) Now consider two arbitrary points C(r1 ; 1 ) and D(r2 ; 2 ) in a polar system. Determine a formula
for the shortest distance between these two points by using a sketch.
(c) Plot the two Cartesian points (3; 4) and (2; 5) in the xy-plane and determine the shortest
distance between the two points.
(d) Consider a concurrent polar system to the Cartesian one in (c) and determine the polar coordinates
of the two point given in (c). Calculate, once again, the shortest distance between the points by
using the formula derived in (b).

4. Determine the polar equations of the following Cartesian curves:

(a) y 2 = 4x
(b) (x2 + y 2 )3 = 4(x2 y 2 )2 ,

r > 0.

5. Determine the Cartesian equations corresponding to the following polar equations and sketch the curves
if r > 0 and without using a pocket calculator:

1
(b) r = 2
(c) r + = 2 sin + 4 cos .
(a) =
4
r
6. It is important when drawing graphs of the polar equations to know if the graph is symmetric with
respect to the x-axis, the y-axis or the origin.
If an arbritrary point (r, ) lies on a curve and if (r, ) and/or (r, ) also lies on the curve, then
the graph is symmetric with respect to the x-axis.
If an arbritrary point (r, ) lies on a curve and if (r, + ) and/or (r, ) also lies on the curve, then
the graph is symmetric with respect to the origin.
Derive a similar rule to determine if a curve is symmetric with respect to the y-axis.
Consider the two polar equations:
r = 3 cos 2 and r = 2 cos 3
One of the equations represents a three-leaved rose and the other equation a four-leaved rose. Use
the rule of symmetry around the y-axis that you derived, to determine which graph belongs with
which equation. (If you could not derive a rule for symmetry around the y-axis, then use the rule for
symmetry with respect to the origin.)

/2

/2

1.5
2
1
1
0.5

0 / 2

0 / 2

3/2

3/2

(a) Four-leaved rose

(b) Three-leaved rose

Figuur 1: Question 6

7. Calculate r for different values of and make a sketch of the following curves:
(a) r = ,

(Spiral of Archimedes)

(b) r = 1 + 2 cos ,

(Limacon)