What are the components of the vector between the origin and the polar coordinate (2, pi/6)(2,π6)?

1 Answer
Feb 6, 2017

See explanation.

Explanation:

If the polar coordinates of P are (r, theta)(r,θ) and O is the origin, the

Cartesian coordinates of P are (x, y) = (rcostheta, rsintheta)(x,y)=(rcosθ,rsinθ).

If veci and vecjiandj are unit vectors in the directions Ox and Oy, then

vec(OP) = xveci+yvecj=(rcostheta)veci+(rsintheta)vecjOP=xi+yj=(rcosθ)i+(rsinθ)j.

Conveniently, this is presented in the component-coordinate form as

vec(OP) = < x, y> = < rcostheta, rsintheta> or r < costheta, sintheta>OP=<x,y>=<rcosθ,rsinθ>orr<cosθ,sinθ>