# Polar to Cartesian coordinates..

• April 27th 2010, 04:34 PM
Jgirl689
Polar to Cartesian coordinates..
Convert the following equation given in polar coordinates to Cartesian (x,y) coordinates
http://www.webassign.net/cgi-bin/sym...tan%28theta%29
where http://www.webassign.net/cgi-bin/sym...3C%20pi%2F2%29

y = ??

Have no idea how to start this..with polar coordinates..can someone help?
• April 27th 2010, 04:45 PM
Prove It
Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgirl689
Convert the following equation given in polar coordinates to Cartesian (x,y) coordinates
http://www.webassign.net/cgi-bin/sym...tan%28theta%29
where http://www.webassign.net/cgi-bin/sym...3C%20pi%2F2%29

y = ??

Have no idea how to start this..with polar coordinates..can someone help?

You're expected to know that

$x = r\cos{\theta}, y = r\sin{\theta}$ and $r^2 = x^2 + y^2$.

How do you think you can rearrange this formula so that it is in terms of $r, \sin{\theta}$ and $\cos{\theta}$?
• April 28th 2010, 09:25 PM
Jgirl689
I solved it and for the answer I got y=x^2...is that right?