Chapter 9: Problem 31
Compute the distance between the given points. (The coordinates are polar coordinates.) $$\left(2, \frac{2 \pi}{3}\right) \text { and }\left(4, \frac{\pi}{6}\right)$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The distance is \(2\sqrt{5}\).
Step by step solution
01
Convert Polar Coordinates to Cartesian Coordinates
The given points are in polar coordinates: For point 1: - Radius \(r_1 = 2\)- Angle \(\theta_1 = \frac{2\pi}{3}\)For point 2:- Radius \(r_2 = 4\)- Angle \(\theta_2 = \frac{\pi}{6}\)Convert these into Cartesian coordinates using:\[(x, y) = (r \cdot \cos(\theta), r \cdot \sin(\theta))\]So the Cartesian coordinates are:- Point 1: \(x_1 = 2 \cdot \cos\left(\frac{2\pi}{3}\right) = -1\) \(y_1 = 2 \cdot \sin\left(\frac{2\pi}{3}\right) = \sqrt{3}\)- Point 2: \(x_2 = 4 \cdot \cos\left(\frac{\pi}{6}\right) = 2\sqrt{3}\) \(y_2 = 4 \cdot \sin\left(\frac{\pi}{6}\right) = 2\)
02
Apply the Distance Formula
To find the distance between two points in Cartesian coordinates, use the distance formula:\[d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2}\]Substitute the values we calculated in Cartesian coordinates:\[x_1 = -1, \ y_1 = \sqrt{3}\]\[x_2 = 2\sqrt{3}, \ y_2 = 2\]Calculate:\[x_2 - x_1 = 2\sqrt{3} + 1\]\[y_2 - y_1 = 2 - \sqrt{3}\]Substitute into the distance formula:\[d = \sqrt{(2\sqrt{3} + 1)^2 + (2 - \sqrt{3})^2}\]
03
Simplify the Distance Calculation
First calculate \((2\sqrt{3} + 1)^2 = 4 \cdot 3 + 4\sqrt{3} + 1 = 13 + 4\sqrt{3}\)Then calculate \((2 - \sqrt{3})^2 = 4 - 4\sqrt{3} + 3 = 7 - 4\sqrt{3}\)Now simplify the distance:\[d = \sqrt{(13 + 4\sqrt{3}) + (7 - 4\sqrt{3})} = \sqrt{20}\]Therefore, the distance is:\[d = 2\sqrt{5}\]
04
Conclusion
Thus, the distance between the points \((2, \frac{2 \pi}{3})\) and \((4, \frac{\pi}{6})\) is \(2\sqrt{5}\).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Polar Coordinates
Polar coordinates provide a different way of defining the position of a point in a plane, using a radius and an angle. Imagine a point that is a certain distance from a central origin. In polar coordinates, this distance is called the radius, and it originates from a reference direction, usually the positive x-axis. The angle, measured in radians, shows how far the point deviates from this reference line in a counterclockwise direction.
- Typical notation for a polar coordinate is \( (r, \theta) \), where \( r \) is the radius and \( \theta \) is the angle.
- Polar coordinates are particularly useful in scenarios involving circular and rotational symmetry.
- A challenge with polar coordinates is that multiple \( \theta \) angles can point to the same location, making unique definitions important.
Cartesian Coordinates
Cartesian coordinates provide another approach to describe a point's position in a plane, using two perpendicular axes: the x-axis (horizontal) and the y-axis (vertical). Each point is defined as \( (x, y) \), where \( x \) and \( y \) represent distances along the respective axes.
- These coordinates are most common for straightforward plotting and many mathematical applications.
- Cartesian coordinates make it easy to calculate distances and angles between points with straightforward formulas.
- They serve as a natural foundation for geometry and graphing on a plane.
Distance Formula
The distance formula helps calculate the distance between two points in the Cartesian coordinate plane. It's derived from the Pythagorean theorem and provides a precise way to compute how far apart points are along a straight line.
To find the distance \( d \) between points \( (x_1, y_1) \) and \( (x_2, y_2) \):
To find the distance \( d \) between points \( (x_1, y_1) \) and \( (x_2, y_2) \):
- Substitute the coordinates into the formula: \( d = \sqrt{(x_2 - x_1)^2 + (y_2 - y_1)^2} \)
- Compute the differences \( x_2 - x_1 \) and \( y_2 - y_1 \)
- Square these differences and sum them up.
- Take the square root of this sum to get \( d \).
Coordinate Conversion
Coordinate conversion between polar and Cartesian systems is essential when switching descriptions of a point between these two lenses. Depending on the context of a problem, one coordinate system may provide significant advantages over the other.
For converting polar to Cartesian coordinates:
For converting polar to Cartesian coordinates:
- Use the equations \( x = r \cdot \cos(\theta) \) and \( y = r \cdot \sin(\theta) \)
- Here, \( r \) is the radius and \( \theta \) is the angle in radians.
- Plug in the polar coordinates to get the corresponding \( (x, y) \) values.
- Use \( r = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2} \) to find the radius.
- For the angle, use \( \theta = \text{atan2}(y, x) \), which correctly handles the signs of \( x \) and \( y \) to determine the quadrant.