Chapter 11: Problem 34
(a) Find the eccentricity, and identify the conic. (b) Sketch the conic, and label the vertices. $$r=\frac{5}{2-3 \sin \theta}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The conic is a hyperbola with eccentricity 3.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the type of conic
The general form of the polar equation of a conic is \( r = \frac{ed}{1 - e\sin \theta} \) or \( r = \frac{ed}{1 - e\cos \theta} \). Compare the given equation \( r = \frac{5}{2 - 3\sin\theta} \) with the general form, recognizing that \( e = 3 \) and \( ed = 5 \).
02
Find the eccentricity
We identified \( e \) as 3. Eccentricity \( e \) characterizes the conic section: if \( e > 1 \), it is a hyperbola; if \( e = 1 \), a parabola; if \( e < 1 \), an ellipse.
03
Identify the conic
Since \( e = 3 \) and \( e > 1 \), the conic is a hyperbola.
04
Determine the vertices
The vertices of the hyperbola can be found when \( \theta = \frac{\pi}{2} \) and \( \theta = \frac{3\pi}{2} \), as these make \( \sin \theta = \pm 1 \). Substitute these into the equation: \( r = \frac{5}{2-3(\pm 1)} \), which simplifies to either \(-5\) or \(5\), positioning the vertices at these radii.
05
Sketch the hyperbola
Plot the polar grid, marking the vertices at \( r = 5 \) and \( r = -5 \), and sketch the hyperbola opening upward and downward through the vertices. Make sure to indicate the direction of the branches correctly.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Polar Coordinates
Polar coordinates offer a different way to look at points on a plane using angles and distances. Unlike the Cartesian system that employs x and y axes, polar coordinates use a radial distance and an angle from a reference direction.
Imagine a dartboard: the center or bullseye is your origin (called the pole in polar coordinates). The angle ( \( \theta \) ) tells you which direction from the pole you'll measure the distance ( \( r \) , or radius) to find your point.
Imagine a dartboard: the center or bullseye is your origin (called the pole in polar coordinates). The angle ( \( \theta \) ) tells you which direction from the pole you'll measure the distance ( \( r \) , or radius) to find your point.
- In polar coordinates, every point is represented as \( (r, \theta) \) .
- If \( r \) is positive, you move away from the pole in the direction of \( \theta \).
- If \( r \) is negative, you move in the opposite direction of \( \theta \).
Eccentricity
Eccentricity is a key concept in analyzing conic sections. It helps to determine the type and shape of a conic section based on its value. Eccentricity is denoted by \( e \) , a ratio that measures how much a conic section deviates from being circular.
Here’s how eccentricity works for different conics:
Here’s how eccentricity works for different conics:
- If \( e = 0 \) , the conic is a circle.
- If \( 0 < e < 1 \) , you have an ellipse.
- If \( e = 1 \) , this indicates a parabola.
- And if \( e > 1 \) , it is a hyperbola.
Hyperbolas
A hyperbola is a type of conic section that appears like two mirrored curves opening in opposite directions. These curves are a result of a plane intersecting both halves of a double cone. In polar coordinates, hyperbolas can be expressed using eccentricity greater than 1, as seen in the equation \( r = \frac{5}{2-3\sin \theta} \).
The simplest way to imagine a hyperbola is to think about removing material in the form of two opposing dishes from a solid cone.
The simplest way to imagine a hyperbola is to think about removing material in the form of two opposing dishes from a solid cone.
- Hyperbolas have two branches. Each branch is shaped like a curve that approaches but never touches specific lines called asymptotes.
- In our exercise, we determined vertices by setting \( \theta = \frac{\pi}{2} \) and \( \theta = \frac{3\pi}{2} \) . Substituting these into the equation gives the vertices at \( r=5 \) and \( r=-5 \).
- When sketching a hyperbola in polar coordinates, the branches will open in the respective direction of the determined vertices.