How do you convert r= cos^2(theta/2)r=cos2(θ2) into cartesian form?

1 Answer
Jun 30, 2016

2(x^2 + y^2) = x + sqrt{x^2 + y^2}2(x2+y2)=x+x2+y2

Explanation:

With r= cos^2(theta/2)r=cos2(θ2), we can get that theta/2θ2 back into a thetaθ

as we have the double angle formula

cos 2Q = 2 cos^2 Q -1cos2Q=2cos2Q1

so

cos^2 Q = (cos 2Q +1)/2 cos2Q=cos2Q+12

here that means that

r = (cos theta +1)/2 implies 2 r = cos theta +1r=cosθ+122r=cosθ+1

now we have x = r cos thetax=rcosθ so cos theta = x/rcosθ=xr

meaning that

2 r = x/r +12r=xr+1

2 r^2 = x + r2r2=x+r

in cartesian, that is very very ugly

2(x^2 + y^2) = x + sqrt{x^2 + y^2}2(x2+y2)=x+x2+y2