How do you graph #r = 2#?

1 Answer
Dec 13, 2015

You can change it to rectangular coordinates or consider that is the graph produced by a point at distance #2# from the origin and at all the possible angles #theta# from the positive #x# axis (and so describing a circle!).

Explanation:

Consider the following diagram:

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We can see that the relationships between rectangular and polar coordinates are:
#r=sqrt(x^2+y^2)#
#theta=arctan(y/x)#
and:
#x=rcos(theta)#
#y=rsin(theta)#

In your case you have:
#r=2#
Change it into rectangular to get:
#sqrt(x^2+y^2)=2#
Square both sides:
#x^2+y^2=2^2#
Which is the equation of a circle of radius #2# and centred in the origin.