How do you convert (-4, 3) into polar coordinates?

2 Answers
Jan 9, 2016

If #(a,b)# is a are the coordinates of a point in Cartesian Plane, #u# is its magnitude and #alpha# is its angle then #(a,b)# in Polar Form is written as #(u,alpha)#.
Magnitude of a cartesian coordinates #(a,b)# is given by#sqrt(a^2+b^2)# and its angle is given by #tan^-1(b/a)#

Let #r# be the magnitude of #(-4,3)# and #theta# be its angle.
Magnitude of #(-4,3)=sqrt(-4)^2+3^2)=sqrt(16+9)=sqrt25=5=r#
Angle of #(-4,3)=Tan^-1(3/-4)=Tan^-1(-3/4)=-36.869# degree

#implies# Angle of #(-4,3)=-36.869# degree

But since the point is in second quadrant so we have to add #180# degree which will give us the angle.

#implies# Angle of #(-4,3)=-36.869+180=143.131#

#implies# Angle of #(-4,3)=143.131=theta#

#implies (-4,3)=(r,theta)=(5,143.131)#
#implies (-4,3)=(5,143.131)#
Note that the angle is given in degree measure.

Jan 9, 2016

Given that a point #color(brown)(P-> (x,y)->(-4,3) " Cartesian")#

Then #color(blue)(P ->(5,143.13^o) " Polar ")# to 2 decimal places

Explanation:

This is not a polar graph!!!
Tony B

#color(blue)("Where it all comes from")#

We are give the coordinates of (-4,3)
Suppose we viewed this in the context of Cartesian form and use #y=mx+c#

Then #c=0# and #m=y/x=-3/4#

So we would have #y=-3/4x#

Suppose the graph was only plotted over the range #x->(0,-4)#

Then the above graph would not be continuous but be a line from
#(0,0) to (3,-4)#

All we need now is the angle that that line makes to the x-axis and the length of that line.
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Finding the Polar r value")#

#"Length "= sqrt(x^2+y^2) =sqrt(3^2+4^2) =5#

#color(blue)("So the polar "r=5)#

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Finding the Polar "theta" value")#
The Polar angle #theta# is measured from the positive x-axis counterclockwise.

Let the angle from the line to the negative x-axis be #phi#

Then #phi = tan^(-1)(y/x) = tan^(-1)(3/4) #

But #color(white)(..)phi+theta=180#

so #color(white)(..)theta =180 - tan^(-1)(3/4)#

#color(blue)( theta = 143.13# to 2 decimal places
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Putting at all together")#

Given that a point #P-> (x,y)->(-4,3) "Cartesian"#

Then #P ->(5,143.13^o) " Polar "# to 2 decimal places