Precalculus Examples

$(2, \sqrt{5})$

Step 1

Convert from rectangular coordinates $(x, y)$ to polar coordinates $(r, θ)$ using the conversion formulas.

$r = \sqrt{x^{2} + y^{2}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 2

Replace $x$ and $y$ with the actual values.

$r = \sqrt{{(2)}^{2} + {(\sqrt{5})}^{2}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3

Find the magnitude of the polar coordinate.

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Step 3.1

Raise $2$ to the power of $2$ .

$r = \sqrt{4 + {(\sqrt{5})}^{2}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.2

Rewrite ${\sqrt{5}}^{2}$ as $5$ .

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Step 3.2.1

Use $\sqrt[n]{a^{x}} = a^{\frac{x}{n}}$ to rewrite $\sqrt{5}$ as $5^{\frac{1}{2}}$ .

$r = \sqrt{4 + {(5^{\frac{1}{2}})}^{2}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.2.2

Apply the power rule and multiply exponents, ${(a^{m})}^{n} = a^{m n}$ .

$r = \sqrt{4 + 5^{\frac{1}{2} \cdot 2}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.2.3

Combine $\frac{1}{2}$ and $2$ .

$r = \sqrt{4 + 5^{\frac{2}{2}}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.2.4

Cancel the common factor of $2$ .

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Step 3.2.4.1

Cancel the common factor.

$r = \sqrt{4 + 5^{\frac{2}{2}}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.2.4.2

Rewrite the expression.

$r = \sqrt{4 + 5}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

$r = \sqrt{4 + 5}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.2.5

Evaluate the exponent.

$r = \sqrt{4 + 5}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

$r = \sqrt{4 + 5}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.3

Simplify the expression.

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Step 3.3.1

Add $4$ and $5$ .

$r = \sqrt{9}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.3.2

Rewrite $9$ as $3^{2}$ .

$r = \sqrt{3^{2}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

$r = \sqrt{3^{2}}$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 3.4

Pull terms out from under the radical, assuming positive real numbers.

$r = 3$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

$r = 3$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{y}{x})$

Step 4

Replace $x$ and $y$ with the actual values.

$r = 3$

$θ = t a n^{- 1} (\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2})$

Step 5

The inverse tangent of $\frac{\sqrt{5}}{2}$ is $θ = 48.1896851 °$ .

$r = 3$

$θ = 48.1896851 °$

Step 6

This is the result of the conversion to polar coordinates in $(r, θ)$ form.

$(3, 48.1896851 °)$