AP Calculus BC : Parametric Form

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Calculus BC

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Example Questions

Example Question #3 : Graphing Polar Form

Draw the curve of \(\displaystyle r^2=sin(2\theta )\) from \(\displaystyle 0\leq \theta \leq2\pi\).

Possible Answers:

R_sinx

R2_cos2x

R_sin2x

R2_sin2x

R_sinx_1

Correct answer:

R2_sin2x

Explanation:

Taking the graph of \(\displaystyle y=sin(2x)\), we only want the areas in the positive first quadrant because the radius is squared and cannot be negative.

This leaves us with the areas from \(\displaystyle 0\) to \(\displaystyle \frac{\pi }{2}\) and \(\displaystyle \pi\) to \(\displaystyle \frac{3\pi }{2}\)

Then, when we take the square root of the radius, we get both a positive and negative answer with a maximum and minimum radius of \(\displaystyle \pm 1\).

To draw the graph, the radius is 0 at \(\displaystyle 0\) and traces to 1 at \(\displaystyle \frac{\pi }{4}\). As well, the negative part of the radius starts at 0 and traces to-1 in the opposite quadrant, the third quadrant.

From \(\displaystyle \frac{\pi }4{}\) to \(\displaystyle \frac{\pi }{2}\), the curves are traced from 1 to 0 and -1 to 0 in the third quadrant.

Following this pattern, the graph is redrawn again from the areas included in \(\displaystyle \pi\) to \(\displaystyle 2\pi\).    

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