Step by step
The question
Question: write the polar point (2, 120°) in rectangular form (x, y).
1 Plot the point
Draw the polar grid: circles 1, 2, 3 around the center, and lines for the angles.
Turn 120° from the right side of the x-axis, going up and round.
Then go out 2.
2 Use x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ
For any polar point: x = r cos θ and y = r sin θ.
They come from the right triangle under the point.
First x: 2 times cos 120°.
Careful!
x goes with cos, y goes with sin.
Swapped, we would get the point mirrored.
cos 120° is −1/2: the same size as cos 60°, from the special triangles.
It is negative: the point is left of the y-axis.
Put it in.
2 times −1/2 is −1.
Now y: 2 times sin 120°.
sin 120° is √3/2: the same size as sin 60°, from the special triangles.
It is positive here.
Put it in.
2 times √3/2 is √3.
So the point is (−1, √3).
3 Check
Let's check on the grid.
From the point, go straight to the x-axis
and straight to the y-axis.
The grid shows x about −1 and y about 1.7.
√3 is about 1.7.
The same.
Right!
Let's look back.
First: plot the point.
Then: use x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ.
Last: check.