How do you convert r = 2/(3cos(θ)-sin(θ)) into a rectangular equation?

1 Answer
Nov 25, 2015

First, use the following identities ...

Explanation:

Next, use these two identities and substitute above:

x=rcostheta
y=rsintheta

After substituting and simplify ...

r=(2)/(3costheta-sintheta)

r=(2)/(3x/r-y/r)=(2r)/(3x-y)

Next, divide both sides by r:

1=(2)/(3x-y)

Now that everything is in terms of x or y, simplify one more time:

y=3x-2

A straight line with slope 3 and y-intercept equal to -2.

hope that helped