How do you convert the polar coordinate point #(-5,240^o)# into rectangular form?

1 Answer
Dec 16, 2016

#(-5/2, 5sqrt3/2)#

Explanation:

First draw angle of #240^o#, it would lie in IVth Quadrant. mark length of 5 units in the direction opposite to the direction of this angle, as shown in the figure. enter image source here

The given polar coordinates thus correspond to point P' in cartesean(or rectangular) form. The line OP' makes an angle of #60^o# with the x axis. Thus x-coordinate of P' would be -5 cos 60 and y coordinate would be 5sin 60. Thus P' is #(-5/2, 5sqrt3/2)#