Problem 34

Question

Convert the polar equation to rectangular form and sketch its graph. $$ r=2 \csc \theta $$

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer
The rectangular form of the equation \(r = 2csc(\theta)\) is \(y = 2\). The graph is a horizontal line passing through (0, 2) and extending indefinitely in both the positive and negative x-directions.
1Step 1: Convert the Polar to Rectangular Form
\(\) First, we need to convert the polar equation to rectangular form. Given \(r = 2csc(\theta)\) and we know that \(csc(\theta) = 1/sin(\theta)\), our equation becomes \(r = 2/sin(\theta)\).Now, multiply each side by \(sin(\theta)\) to clear the fraction:\(r* sin(\theta) = 2 \)We know that \(y=r*sin(\theta)\), thus the rectangular equation is \(y = 2 \).
2Step 2: Graph the Equation
Next, we graph the equation \(y = 2\), which is a horizontal line passing through the point (0, 2) on the y-axis. It extends indefinitely in the positive and negative x-directions.
3Step 3: Analyze the Graph
After graphing the equation, we see that it corresponds to an infinite line along y=2 in the rectangular coordinate system. The polar coordinates (r, \(\theta\)) of any point on this line will satisfy the equation \(r = 2csc(\theta)\), showing that our conversion is correct.