The polar equation offers another perspective for understanding a circle's position but uses polar coordinates \(r, \theta\) instead of Cartesian coordinates \(x, y\).
Polar coordinates are based on a point’s distance from a fixed center, known as the pole, and the angle \(\theta\) formed with a fixed direction.
To convert the Cartesian equation of a circle \((x-6)^{2}+y^{2}=36\) to a polar equation, we use the known transformations:
- \(x = r \cos(\theta)\)
- \(y = r \sin(\theta)\)
Rearranging these transformations in our circle’s equation and simplifying,