Exercise · ZW-CYLINDRICAL-AND-SPHERICAL-COORDINATES-001 · ★☆☆ Basic

A point has cylindrical coordinates \((r,\theta,z)=(2,\pi/2,5)\). What are its rectangular coordinates?

Choose one option.

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  • C. \((0,2,5)\)

Explanation

Use \(x=r\cos\theta=2\cos(\pi/2)=0\), \(y=r\sin\theta=2\) and \(z=5\). Swapping sine and cosine gives \((2,0,5)\), the typical mistake.

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Review the concept: Cylindrical and spherical coordinates

Cylindrical coordinates \((r,\theta,z)\) and spherical coordinates \((\rho,\theta,\varphi)\) locate a point in space with distances and angles, and simplify solids with rotational symmetry.

\[\begin{aligned}x&=r\cos\theta,\ y=r\sin\theta,\ z=z\\x&=\rho\sin\varphi\cos\theta,\ y=\rho\sin\varphi\sin\theta,\ z=\rho\cos\varphi\end{aligned}\]

More practice problems: cylindrical and spherical coordinates

ZW-CYLINDRICAL-AND-SPHERICAL-COORDINATES-002 →