The first step in converting rectangular coordinates \( (x, y) \) to polar coordinates \( (r, \theta) \) is calculating the radius, \( r\). The radius is the distance from the origin to the point and can be found using the formula:
- \( r = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} \)
For our point \( (2, 2) \):
- \( r = \sqrt{2^2 + 2^2} = \sqrt{4 + 4} = \sqrt{8}\)
- \( \sqrt{8} = 2\sqrt{2} \approx 2.828 \)
Here, \( 2\sqrt{2} \) or approximately 2.828 is the Euclidean distance from the origin to the point, representing the radius in polar coordinates.
This distance helps us understand how far the point is from the center of our coordinate system, allowing for a different kind of measurement of position beyond simple horizontal and vertical displacement.