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  1. AP Pre Calculus
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What are the key differences between polar and Cartesian coordinate systems?

Polar: Uses distance (r) and angle (\theta). Cartesian: Uses horizontal (x) and vertical (y) distances.

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What are the key differences between polar and Cartesian coordinate systems?

Polar: Uses distance (r) and angle (\theta). Cartesian: Uses horizontal (x) and vertical (y) distances.

Compare the average rate of change with the instantaneous rate of change in polar functions.

Average: Change over an interval. Instantaneous: Derivative at a point.

What is the difference between relative maximum and absolute maximum in polar functions?

Relative: Local maximum in an interval. Absolute: Overall maximum of the function.

Compare increasing and decreasing behavior of a polar function.

Increasing: (r) increases as (\theta) increases. Decreasing: (r) decreases as (\theta) increases.

What are the differences between symmetry about the x-axis and symmetry about the y-axis in polar graphs?

x-axis: (f(\theta) = f(-\theta)). y-axis: (f(\theta) = -f(-\theta)) or (f(\theta) = f(\pi - \theta)).

Compare the formulas for area in Cartesian and Polar coordinates.

Cartesian: ∫f(x)dx\int f(x) dx∫f(x)dx. Polar: 12∫r2dθ\frac{1}{2} \int r^2 d\theta21​∫r2dθ.

What are the differences between finding the slope of a tangent line in Cartesian and polar coordinates?

Cartesian: dydx\frac{dy}{dx}dxdy​. Polar: dy/dθdx/dθ\frac{dy/d\theta}{dx/d\theta}dx/dθdy/dθ​.

Compare the graphs of (r = a\cos(\theta)) and (r = a\sin(\theta)).

(r = a\cos(\theta)): Circle on x-axis. (r = a\sin(\theta)): Circle on y-axis.

What are the differences between a cardioid and a circle in polar coordinates?

Cardioid: Heart-shaped, (r = a(1 \pm \cos(\theta))). Circle: Centered at origin, (r = a).

Compare the equations for a line in Cartesian and polar coordinates.

Cartesian: (y = mx + b). Polar: More complex, often involving (\theta = constant) for lines through the origin.

What is the formula for average rate of change of (r) with respect to (\theta)?

ΔrΔθ=r(θ2)−r(θ1)θ2−θ1\frac{\Delta r}{\Delta \theta} = \frac{r(\theta_2) - r(\theta_1)}{\theta_2 - \theta_1}ΔθΔr​=θ2​−θ1​r(θ2​)−r(θ1​)​

How do you convert from polar coordinates ((r, \theta)) to Cartesian coordinates ((x, y))?

x = r \cos(\theta), y = r \sin(\theta)

How do you convert from Cartesian coordinates ((x, y)) to polar coordinates ((r, \theta))?

r = \sqrt{x^2 + y^2}, \theta = \arctan(\frac{y}{x})

What is the formula for the derivative of a polar function (r = f(\theta))?

drdθ=f′(θ)\frac{dr}{d\theta} = f'(\theta)dθdr​=f′(θ)

How do you find the slope of a tangent line to a polar curve?

dydx=drdθsin⁡(θ)+rcos⁡(θ)drdθcos⁡(θ)−rsin⁡(θ)\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{\frac{dr}{d\theta} \sin(\theta) + r \cos(\theta)}{\frac{dr}{d\theta} \cos(\theta) - r \sin(\theta)}dxdy​=dθdr​cos(θ)−rsin(θ)dθdr​sin(θ)+rcos(θ)​

What is the formula to find the area enclosed by a polar curve (r = f(\theta)) from (\theta = a) to (\theta = b)?

A=12∫ab[f(θ)]2dθA = \frac{1}{2} \int_{a}^{b} [f(\theta)]^2 d\thetaA=21​∫ab​[f(θ)]2dθ

How to calculate the arc length of a polar curve (r = f(\theta)) from (\theta = a) to (\theta = b)?

L=∫abr2+(drdθ)2dθL = \int_{a}^{b} \sqrt{r^2 + (\frac{dr}{d\theta})^2} d\thetaL=∫ab​r2+(dθdr​)2​dθ

What is the general form of a polar equation for a circle centered at the origin?

r = a, where 'a' is the radius of the circle.

What is the polar equation for a line passing through the origin?

θ=c\theta = cθ=c, where (c) is a constant angle.

What is the formula for finding points of intersection between two polar curves (r_1(\theta)) and (r_2(\theta))?

Solve the equation (r_1(\theta) = r_2(\theta)) for (\theta). Also, check if the pole (origin) is a point on either curve.

How do you find the average rate of change of (r = 2\cos(\theta)) on the interval ([0, \pi/2])?

  1. Calculate (r(0) = 2\cos(0) = 2). 2. Calculate (r(\pi/2) = 2\cos(\pi/2) = 0). 3. Apply the formula: (\frac{0 - 2}{\pi/2 - 0} = -\frac{4}{\pi}).

How do you determine where (r = 3 + 2\cos(\theta)) is increasing on ([0, 2\pi])?

  1. Find (r'(\theta) = -2\sin(\theta)). 2. Set (r'(\theta) = 0) and solve for (\theta): (\theta = 0, \pi, 2\pi). 3. Test intervals: ((\pi, 2\pi)) is increasing.

How do you find relative extrema for (r = 1 + \sin(\theta)) on ([0, 2\pi])?

  1. Find (r'(\theta) = \cos(\theta)). 2. Set (r'(\theta) = 0) and solve for (\theta): (\theta = \pi/2, 3\pi/2). 3. Check endpoints and critical points for maximum and minimum values.

How do you convert the polar equation (r = 4\cos(\theta)) to Cartesian form?

  1. Multiply both sides by (r): (r^2 = 4r\cos(\theta)). 2. Substitute (r^2 = x^2 + y^2) and (x = r\cos(\theta)): (x^2 + y^2 = 4x). 3. Rearrange: ((x-2)^2 + y^2 = 4).

How do you find the area enclosed by the polar curve (r = 2\theta) from (\theta = 0) to (\theta = \pi/2)?

  1. Use the area formula: (A = \frac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{\pi/2} (2\theta)^2 d\theta). 2. Simplify: (A = 2 \int_{0}^{\pi/2} \theta^2 d\theta). 3. Integrate: (A = \frac{2}{3} \theta^3 \Big|_{0}^{\pi/2} = \frac{\pi^3}{12}).

Given (r(\theta) = 2 + \cos(\theta)), find the values of (\theta) where the curve is farthest from the origin on the interval ([0, 2\pi]).

  1. Find (r'(\theta) = -\sin(\theta)). 2. Set (r'(\theta) = 0) to find critical points: (\theta = 0, \pi, 2\pi). 3. Evaluate (r(\theta)) at these points to find the maximum value.

How do you find the slope of the tangent line to the polar curve (r = \sin(2\theta)) at (\theta = \pi/4)?

  1. Find (\frac{dr}{d\theta} = 2\cos(2\theta)). 2. Use the formula (\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{\frac{dr}{d\theta} \sin(\theta) + r \cos(\theta)}{\frac{dr}{d\theta} \cos(\theta) - r \sin(\theta)}). 3. Substitute (\theta = \pi/4) and simplify.

How do you determine the points of intersection of the polar curves (r = 2\cos(\theta)) and (r = 1)?

  1. Set (2\cos(\theta) = 1). 2. Solve for (\theta): (\cos(\theta) = \frac{1}{2}), so (\theta = \pm \frac{\pi}{3}). 3. The points of intersection are ((1, \frac{\pi}{3})) and ((1, -\frac{\pi}{3})).

How do you find the arc length of the spiral (r = \theta) from (\theta = 0) to (\theta = 2\pi)?

  1. Find (\frac{dr}{d\theta} = 1). 2. Use the arc length formula: (L = \int_{0}^{2\pi} \sqrt{\theta^2 + 1^2} d\theta). 3. Evaluate the integral (requires trigonometric substitution).

How do you find the equation of the tangent line to (r = 1 + \cos(\theta)) at (\theta = \frac{\pi}{2})?

  1. Find (\frac{dr}{d\theta} = -\sin(\theta)). 2. Compute (x(\theta) = r\cos(\theta)) and (y(\theta) = r\sin(\theta)). 3. Find (\frac{dx}{d\theta}) and (\frac{dy}{d\theta}). 4. Compute (\frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{dy/d\theta}{dx/d\theta}). 5. Use point-slope form with the calculated slope and the point ((x(\frac{\pi}{2}), y(\frac{\pi}{2}))).