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Polar coordinates are a system used to locate points on a plane. They consist of a distance (r) and an angle (θ) from a fixed reference point (called the pole). This is different from Cartesian coordinates, which use x and y coordinates to locate points on a grid.
To graph polar coordinates, plot the distance (r) from the pole on the y-axis and the angle (θ) on the x-axis. Start at the pole and measure the angle counterclockwise from the positive x-axis. Then, measure the distance from the pole along this angle and plot the point.
Polar equations are equations that describe curves or shapes in polar coordinates. They may have multiple terms and may involve trigonometric functions. Polar coordinates, on the other hand, are simply the distance and angle needed to locate a point on a plane.
To convert from polar to Cartesian coordinates, use the formulas x = r cos(θ) and y = r sin(θ). To convert from Cartesian to polar coordinates, use the formulas r = √(x^2 + y^2) and θ = tan^-1(y/x).
No, regular graph paper is designed for Cartesian coordinates and does not have a scale for polar coordinates. You can use specialized polar graph paper or create your own by drawing concentric circles and evenly spaced radial lines.