How do I find a polar equation for the curve represented by the Cartesian equation y = 7?

To convert the Cartesian equation y = 7 into its polar form, we start by recalling the relationship between Cartesian and polar coordinates. In polar coordinates, the connections are defined as follows:

  • x = r * cos(θ)
  • y = r * sin(θ)

In the given equation, we can substitute for y using the polar equivalent:

y = r * sin(θ)

Substituting this into the original equation yields:

r * sin(θ) = 7

To isolate r, we can rearrange the equation:

r = rac{7}{sin(θ)}

This is our polar equation! It expresses the relationship in terms of r and θ. The form shows that for each angle θ, the distance r from the origin is given by the equation.

Additionally, you will notice that this equation represents a horizontal line where the value of y remains constant at 7 in Cartesian coordinates, which corresponds to all the points that are at a constant distance vertically along that line in the polar coordinate system.

Thus, the polar equation for the curve represented by the Cartesian equation y = 7 is:

r = rac{7}{sin(θ)}

Feel free to explore different values for θ to visualize how this curve behaves in polar coordinates!

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